HIV envelopolype peptides

ABSTRACT

A method for the rational design and preparation of vaccines based on HIV envelope polypeptides is described. In one embodiment, the method for making an HIV gp120 subunit vaccine for a geographic region comprises determining neutralizing epitopes in the V2 and/or C4 domains of gp120 of HIV isolates from the geographic region and selecting an HIV strain having gp120 a neutralizing epitope in the V2 or C4 domain which is common among isolates in the geographic region. In a preferred embodiment of the method, neutralizing epitopes for the V2, V3, and C4 domains of gp120 are determined. At least two HIV isolates having different neutralizing epitopes in the V2, V3, or C4 domain are selected and used to make the vaccine. The invention also provides a multivalent HIV gp120 subunit vaccine.  
     A DNA sequence encoding gp120 from preferred vaccine strains of HIV, GNE 8  and GNE 16 , expression constructs comprising the GNE 8 -gp120 and GNE 16 -gp120 encoding DNA under the transcriptional and translational control of a heterologous promoter, and isolated GNE 8 -gp120 and GNE 16 -gp120 are also described.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to the rational design and preparation of HIV vaccines based on HIV envelope polypeptides and the resultant vaccines. This invention further relates to improved methods for HIV serotyping and immunogens which induce antibodies useful in the serotyping methods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is caused by a retrovirus identified as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). There have been intense effort to develop a vaccine. These efforts have focused on inducing antibodies to the HIV envelope protein. Recent efforts have used subunit vaccines where an HIV protein, rather than attenuated or killed virus, is used as the immunogen in the vaccine for safety reasons. Subunit vaccines generally include gp120, the portion of the HIV envelope protein which is on the surface of the virus.

[0003] The HIV envelope protein has been extensively described, and the amino acid and RNA sequences encoding HIV envelope from a number of HIV strains are known (Myers, G. et al., 1992. Human Retroviruses and AIDS. A compilation and analysis of nucleic acid and amino acid sequences. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N. Mex.). The HIV envelope protein is a glycoprotein of about 160 kd (gp160) which is anchored in the membrane bilayer at its carboxyl terminal region. The N-terminal segment, gp120, protrudes into the aqueous environment surrounding the virion and the C-terminal segment, gp41, spans the membrane. Via a host-cell mediated process, gp160 is cleaved to form gp120 and the integral membrane protein gp41. As there is no covalent attachment between gp120 and gp41, free gp120 is released from the surface of virions and infected cells.

[0004] The gp120 molecule consists of a polypeptide core of 60,000 daltons which is extensively modified by N-linked glycosylation to increase the apparent molecular weight of the molecule to 120,000 daltons. The amino acid sequence of gp120 contains five relatively conserved domains interspersed with five hypervariable domains. The positions of the 18 cysteine residues in the gp120 primary sequence, and the positions of 13 of the approximately 24 N-linked glycosylation sites in the gp120 sequence are common to all gp120 sequences. The hypervariable domains contain extensive amino acid substitutions, insertions and deletions. Sequence variations in these domains result in up to 30% overall sequence variability between gp120 molecules from the various viral isolates. Despite this variation, all gp120 sequences preserve the virus's ability to bind to the viral receptor CD4 and to interact with gp41 to induce fusion of the viral and host cell membranes.

[0005] gp120 has been the object of intensive investigation as a vaccine candidate for subunit vaccines, as the viral protein which is most likely to be accessible to immune attack. gp120 is considered to be a good candidate for a subunit vaccine, because (i) gp120 is known to possess the CD4 binding domain by which HIV attaches to its target cells, (ii) HIV infectivity can be neutralized in vitro by antibodies to gp 120, (iii) the majority of the in vitro neutralizing activity present in the serum of HIV infected individuals can be removed with a gp120 affinity column, and (iv) the gp120/gp41 complex appears to be essential for the transmission of HIV by cell-to-cell fusion.

[0006] The identification of epitopes recognized by virus neutralizing antibodies is critical for the rational design of vaccines effective against HIV-1 infection. One way in which antibodies would be expected to neutralize HIV-1 infection is by blocking the binding of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein, gp120, to its cellular receptor, CD4. However, it has been surprising that the CD4 blocking activity, readily demonstrated in sera from HIV-1 infected individuals (31, 44) and animals immunized with recombinant envelope glycoproteins (1-3), has not always correlated with neutralizing activity (2, 31, 44). Results obtained with monoclonal antibodies have shown that while some of the monoclonal antibodies that block the binding of gp120 to CD4 possess neutralizing activity, others do not (4, 7, 16, 26, 33, 35, 43, 45). When the neutralizing activity of CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies are compared to those directed to the principal neutralizing determinant (PND) located in the third variable domain (V3 domain) of gp120 (10, 39), the CD4 blocking antibodies appear to be significantly less potent. Thus, CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies typically exhibit 50% inhibitory concentration values (IC₅₀) in the 1-10 μg/ml range (4, 16, 26, 33, 35, 43, 45) whereas PND directed monoclonal antibodies typically exhibit IC₅₀ values in the 0.1 to 1.0 μg/ml range (23, 33, 42).

[0007] Subunit vaccines, based on gp120 or another viral protein, that can effectively induce antibodies that neutralize HIV are still being sought. However, to date no vaccine has not been effective in conferring protection against HIV infection.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND ART

[0008] Recombinant subunit vaccines are described in Berman et al., PCT/US91/02250 (published as number WO91/15238 on Oct. 17, 1991). See also, e.g. Hu et al., Nature 328:721-724 (1987) (vaccinia virus-HIV envelope recombinant vaccine); Arthur et al., J. Virol. 63(12): 5046-5053 (1989) (purified gp120); and Berman et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:5200-5204 (1988) (recombinant envelope glycoprotein gp120).

[0009] Numerous sequences for gp120 are known. The sequence of gp120 from the IIIB substrain of HIV-1_(LAI) referred to herein is that determined by Muesing et al., “Nucleic acid structure and expression of the human AIDS/lymphadenopathy retrovirus, Nature 313:450-458 (1985). The sequences of gp120 from the NY-5, Jrcsf, Z6, Z321, and HXB2 strains of HIV-1 are listed by Myers et al., “Human Retroviruses and AIDS; A compilation and analysis of nucleic acid and amino acid sequences,” Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N. Mex. (1992). The sequence of the Thai isolate A244 is provided by McCutchan et al., “Genetic Variants of HIV-1 in Thailand,” AIDS Res. and Human Retroviruses 8:1887-1895 (1992). The MN₁₉₈₄ clone is described by Gurgo et al., “Envelope sequences of two new United States HIV-1 isolates,” Virol. 164: 531-536 (1988). The amino acid sequence of this MN clone differs by approximately 2% from the MN-gp120 clone (MN_(GNE)) disclosed herein and obtained by Berman et al.

[0010] Each of the above-described references is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention provides a method for the rational design and preparation of vaccines based on HIV envelope polypeptides. This invention is based on the discovery that there are neutralizing epitopes in the V2 and C4 domains of gp120, in addition to the neutralizing epitopes in the V3 domain. In addition, the amount of variation of the neutralizing epitopes is highly constrained, facilitating the design of an HIV subunit vaccine that can induce antibodies that neutralize a plurality of HIV strains for a given geographic region.

[0012] In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for making an HIV gp120 subunit vaccine for a geographic region in which a neutralizing epitope in the V2 and/or C4 domains of gp120 of HIV isolates from the geographic region is determined and an HIV strain having gp120 which has a neutralizing epitope in the V2 or C4 domain which is common among isolates in the geographic region is selected and used to make the vaccine.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the method, neutralizing epitopes for the V2, V3, and C4 domains of gp120 from HIV isolates from the geographic region are determined. At least two HIV isolates having different neutralizing epitopes in the V2, V3, or C4 domain are selected and used to make the HIV gp120 subunit vaccine. Preferably, each of the selected isolates have one of the most common neutralizing epitopes for the V2, V3, or C4 domains.

[0014] The invention also provides a multivalent HIV gp120 subunit vaccine. The vaccine comprises gp120 from two isolates of HIV having at least one different neutralizing epitope. Preferably, the isolates have the most common neutralizing epitopes in the geographic region for one of the domains.

[0015] A DNA sequence of less than 5 kilobases encoding gp120 from preferred vaccine strains of HIV, GNE₈ and GNE₁₆, expression construct comprising the GNE₈-gp120 and GNE₁₆-gp120 encoding DNA under the transcriptional and translational control of a heterologous promoter, and isolated GNE₈-gp120 and GNE₁₆-gp120 are also provided. The invention further provides improved methods for HIV serotyping in which epitopes in the V2 or C4 domains of gp120 are determined and provides immunogens (truncated gp120 sequences) which induce antibodies useful in the serotyping methods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016]FIG. 1 describes inhibition of CD4 binding by monoclonal antibodies to recombinantly produced gp120 from the MN strain of HIV (MN-rgp120). Mice were immunized with MN-rgp120 and the resulting splenocytes were fused with the NP3X63.Ag8.653 cell line as described in Example 1. Thirty-five stable hybridoma clones, reactive with MN-rgp120 were identified by ELISA. Secondary screening revealed seven cell lines (1024, 1093, 1096, 1097, 1110, 1112, and 1027) secreting antibodies able to inhibit the binding of MN-rgp120 to biotin labeled recombinantly produced CD4 (rsCD4) in a ELISA using HRPO-strepavadin. Data obtained with monoclonal antibodies from the same fusion (1026, 1092, 1126) that failed to inhibit MN-rgp120 binding to CD4 is shown for purposes of comparison.

[0017]FIG. 2 shows neutralizing activity of CD4-blocking monoclonal antibodies to MN-rgp120. Monoclonal antibodies that blocked the binding of MN-rgp120 to CD4 were screened for the capacity to inhibit the infection of MT2 cells by the MN strain of HIV-1 in vitro. Cell free virus was added to wells containing serially diluted antibodies and incubated at 4° C. for 1 hr. After incubation, MT-2 cells were added to the wells and the cultures were then grown for 5 days at 37° C. Cell viability was then measured by addition of the colorimetric tetrazolium compound MTT as described in reference (35) of Example 1. The optical densities of each well were measured at 540 nm using a microtiter plate reading spectrophotometer. Inhibition of virus infectivity was calculated by dividing the mean optical densities from wells containing monoclonal antibodies by the mean value of wells that received virus alone. Monoclonal antibodies that blocked CD4 binding are the same as those indicated in Figure Legend 1. Data from the V3-directed monoclonal antibody to MN-rgp120 (1034) is provided as a positive control. Data obtained with the V3 directed monoclonal antibody, 11G5, specific for the IIIB strain of HIV-1 (33) is shown as a negative control.

[0018]FIG. 3 is a diagram of gp120 fragments used to localize the epitopes recognized by the CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies to MN-rgp120. A series of fragments (A) corresponding to the V4 and C4 domains (B) (SEQ. ID. NO. 14) of the gene encoding MN-rgp120 were prepared by PCR. The gp120 gene fragments were fused to a fragment of the gene encoding Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 glycoprotein D that encoded the signal sequence and 25 amino acids from the mature amino terminus. The chimeric genes were assembled into a mammalian cell expression vector (PRK5) that provided a CMV promoter, translational stop codons and an SV40 polyadenylation site. The embryonic human kidney adenocarcinoma cell line, 293s, was transfected with the resulting plasmid and recombinant proteins were recovered from growth conditioned cell culture medium. Fragments of MN-rgp120, expressed as HSV-1 Gd fusion proteins, were produced by transient transfection of 293s cells (Example 1). To verify expression, cells were metabolically labeled with [³⁵S]-methionine, and the resulting growth conditioned cell culture supernatants were immunoprecipitated (C) using a monoclonal antibody, 5B6, specific for the amino terminus of HSV-1 Gd and fixed S. aureus. The immunoprecipitated proteins were resolved on 4 to 20% acrylamide gradient gels using SDS-PAGE and visualized by autoradiography. The samples were: Lane 1, FMN.368-408; lane 2, FMN.368-451; lane 3, FMN.419-443; lane 4, FMN.414-451; lane 5, MN-rgp120. The gel demonstrated that the proteins were expressed and migrated at the expected molecular weights.

[0019]FIG. 4 shows a C4 domain sequence comparison (SEQ. ID. Nos. 3-13). The C4 domain amino acid sequences of recombinant and virus derived gp120s used for monoclonal antibody binding studies were aligned starting the amino terminal cysteine. Amino acid positions are designated with respect to the sequence of MN-rgp120. Sequences of the LAI substrains, IIIB, BH10, Bru, HXB2, and HXB3 are shown for purposes of comparison.

[0020]FIG. 5 shows sequences of C4 domain mutants of MN-rgp120 (SEQ. ID. Nos. 3 and 15-23). Nucleotide substitutions, resulting in the amino acid sequences indicated, were introduced into the C4 domain of MN-rgp120 gene using recombinant PCR. The resulting variants were assembled into the expression plasmid, pRK5, which was then transfected into 293s cells. The binding of monoclonal antibodies to the resulting C4 domain variants was then analyzed (Table 5) by ELISA.

[0021]FIG. 6 illustrates the reactivity of monoclonal antibody 1024 with HIV-1_(LAI) substrains. The cell surface binding of the C4 domain reactive monoclonal antibody 1024 to H9 cells chronically infected with the IIIB, HXB2, HXB3, and HXB10 substrains of HIV-1 LAI or HIV-1MN was analyzed by flow cytometry. Cultures of virus infected cells were reacted with either monoclonal antibody 1024, a nonrelevant monoclonal antibody (control), or a broadly cross reactive monoclonal antibody (1026) raised against rgp120. After washing away unbound monoclonal antibody, the cells were then labeled with fluorescein conjugated goat antibody to mouse IgG (Fab′)₂, washed and fixed with paraformaldehyde. The resulting cells were analyzed for degree of fluorescence intensity using a FACSCAN (Becton Dickenson, Fullerton, Calif.). Fluorescence was measured as mean intensity of the cells expressed as mean channel number plotted on a log scale.

[0022]FIG. 7 shows the determination of the binding affinity of monoclonal antibodies for MN-rgp120. CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies raised against MN-rgp120 (1024 and 1097) or IIIB-rgp120 (13H8 and 5C2) were labeled with [¹²⁵I] and binding titrations using MN-rgp120 (A and B) or IIIB-rgp120 (C and D) were carried out as described in the Example 1. A, binding of monoclonal antibody 1024; B binding of monoclonal antibody 1097; C, binding of monoclonal antibody 13H8; and D binding of monoclonal antibody 5C2.

[0023]FIG. 8 shows the correlation between gp120 binding affinity (K_(d)) and neutralizing activity (IC50) of monoclonal antibodies to the C4 domain of MN-rgp120. Binding affinities of monoclonal antibodies to the C4 domain of gp120 were determined by Scatchard analysis (FIG. 9, Table 5). The resulting values were plotted as a function of the log of their neutralizing activities (IC₅₀) determined in FIG. 2 and Table 6.

[0024]FIG. 9 depicts the amino acid sequence of the mature envelope glycoprotein (gp120) from the MN_(GNE) clone of the MN strain of HIV-1 (SEQ. ID. NO. 1). Hypervariable domains are from 1-29 (signal sequence), 131-156, 166-200,305-332, 399-413, and 460-469. The V and C regions are indicated (according to Modrow et. al., J. Virology 61(2):570 (1987). Potential glycosylation sites are marked with a (*).

[0025]FIG. 10 depicts the amino acid sequence of a fusion protein of the residues 41-511 of the mature envelope glycoprotein (gp120) from the MN_(GNE) clone of the MN strain of HIV-1, and the gD-1 amino terminus from the herpes simplex glycoprotein gD-1. (SEQ. ID. NO. 2). The V and C regions are indicated (according to Modrow et al., J. Virology 61(2):570 (1987). Potential glycosylation sites are marked with a (i)

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The present invention provides a method for the rational design and preparation of vaccines based on HIV envelope polypeptides. This invention is based on the discovery that there are neutralizing epitopes in the V2 and C4 domains of gp120, in addition to the neutralizing epitopes in the V3 domain. Although the amino acid sequences of the neutralizing epitopes in the V2, V3, and C4 domains are variable, it has now been found that the amount of variation is highly constrained. The limited amount of variation facilitates the design of an HIV subunit vaccine that can induce antibodies that neutralize the most common HIV strains for a given geographic region. In particular, the amino acid sequence of neutralizing epitopes in the V2, V3, and C4 domains for isolates of a selected geographic region is determined. gp120 from isolates having the most common neutralizing epitope sequences are utilized in the vaccine.

[0027] The invention also provides a multivalent gp120 subunit vaccine wherein gp120 present in the vaccine is from at least two HIV isolates which have different amino acid sequences for a neutralizing epitope in the V2, V3, or C4 domain of gp120. The invention further provides improved methods for HIV serotyping in which epitopes in the V2 or C4 domains of gp120 are determined and provides immunogens which induce antibodies useful in the serotyping methods.

[0028] The term “subunit vaccine” is used herein, as in the art, to refer to a viral vaccine that does not contain virus, but rather contains one or more viral proteins or fragments of viral proteins. As used herein, the term “multivalent” means that the vaccine contains gp120 from at least two HIV isolates having different amino acid sequences for a neutralizing epitope.

[0029] Vaccine Design Method

[0030] The vaccine design method of this invention is based on the discovery that there are neutralizing epitopes in the V2 and C4 domains of gp120, in addition to those found in the principal neutralizing domain (PND) in the V3 domain. Selecting an HIV isolate with appropriate neutralizing epitopes in the V2 and/or C4 domains provides a vaccine that is designed to induce immunity to the HIV isolates present in a selected geographic region. In addition, although the amino acid sequence of the V2, V3, and C4 domains containing the neutralizing epitopes is variable, the amount of variation is highly constrained, facilitating the design of a multivalent vaccine which can neutralize a plurality of the most common HIV strains for a given geographic region.

[0031] The method for making an HIV gp120 subunit vaccine depends on the use of appropriate strains of HIV for a selected geographic region. Appropriate strains of HIV for the region are selected by determining the neutralizing epitopes for HIV isolates and the percentage of HIV infections attributable to each strain present in the region. HIV strains which have the most common neutralizing epitopes in the V2 or C4 domains in the geographic region are selected. Preferably, isolates that confer protection against the most common neutralizing epitopes in the V2, V3, and C4 domains for a geographic region are selected.

[0032] One embodiment of the method for making an HIV gp120 subunit vaccine from appropriate strains of HIV for a geographic region comprises the following steps. A neutralizing epitope in the V2 or C4 domain of gp120 of HIV isolates from the geographic region is determined. An HIV strain having gp120 with a neutralizing epitope in the V2 or C4 domain that is common among HIV isolates in the geographic region is selected. gp120 from the selected isolate is used to make an HIV gp120 subunit vaccine.

[0033] In another embodiment of the method, the neutralizing epitopes in the V2, V3, and C4 domains of gp120 from HIV isolates from the geographic region are determined. At least two HIV isolates having different neutralizing epitopes in the V2, V3, or C4 domain are selected and used to make an HIV gp120 subunit vaccine. Preferably, the vaccine contains gp120 from at least the two or three HIV strains having the most common neutralizing epitopes for the V2, V3, or C4 domains. More preferably, the vaccine contains gp120 from sufficient strains so that at least about 50%, preferably about 70%, more preferably about 80% or more of the neutralizing epitopes for the V2, V3, and C4 domains in the geographic region are included in the vaccine. The location of the neutralizing epitopes in the V3 region are well known. The location of the neutralizing epitopes in the V2 and C4 regions are described hereinafter.

[0034] Each of the steps of the method are described in detail below.

[0035] Determining Neutralizing Epitopes

[0036] The first step in designing a vaccine for a selected geographic region is to determine the neutralizing epitopes in the gp120 V2 and/or C4 domains. In a preferred embodiment, neutralizing epitopes in the V3 domain (the principal neutralizing domain) are also determined. The location of neutralizing epitopes in the V3 domain is well known. Neutralizing epitopes in the V2 and C4 domains have now been found to be located between about residues 163 and 200 and between about residues 420 and 440, respectively. In addition, the critical residues for antibody binding are residues 171, 173, 174, 177, 181, 183, 187, and 188 in the V2 domain and residues 429 and 432 in the C4 domain, as described in detail in the Examples.

[0037] The neutralizing epitopes for any isolate can be determined by sequencing the region of gp120 containing the neutralizing epitope. Alternatively, when antibodies specific for the neutralizing epitope, preferably monoclonal antibodies, are available the neutralizing epitope can be determined by serological methods as described hereinafter. A method for identification of additional neutralizing epitopes in gp120 is described hereinafter.

[0038] When discussing the amino acid sequences of various isolates and strains of HIV, the most common numbering system refers to the location of amino acids within the gp120 protein using the initiator methionine residue as position 1. The amino acid numbering reflects the mature HIV-1 gp120 amino acid sequence as shown by FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 [SEQ. ID Nos. 1 and 2]. For gp120 sequences derived from other HIV isolates and which include their native HIV N-terminal signal sequence, numbering may differ. Although the nucleotide and amino acid residue numbers may not be applicable in other strains where upstream deletions or insertions change the length of the viral genome and gp120, the region encoding the portions of gp120 is readily identified by reference to the teachings herein. The variable (V) domains and conserved (C) domains of gp120 are specified according to the nomenclature of Modrow et al. “Computer-assisted analysis of envelope protein sequences of seven human immunodeficiency virus isolates: predictions of antigenic epitopes in conserved and variable regions,” J. Virol. 61:570-578 (1987).

[0039] The first step in identifying the neutralizing epitopes for any region of gp120 is to immunize an animal with gp120 to induce anti-gp120 antibodies. The antibodies can be polyclonal or, preferably, monoclonal. Polyclonal antibodies can be induced by administering to the host animal an immunogenic composition comprising gp120. Preparation of immunogenic compositions of a protein may vary depending on the host animal and the protein and is well known. For example, gp120 or an antigenic portion thereof can be conjugated to an immunogenic substance such as KLH or BSA or provided in an adjuvant or the like. The induced antibodies can be tested to determine whether the composition is specific for gp120. If a polyclonal antibody composition does not provide the desired specificity, the antibodies can be fractionated by ion exchange chromatography and immunoaffinity methods using intact gp120 or various fragments of gp120 to enhance specificity by a variety of conventional methods. For example, the composition can be fractionated to reduce binding to other substances by contacting the composition with gp120 affixed to a solid substrate. Those antibodies which bind to the substrate are retained. Fractionation techniques using antigens affixed to a variety of solid substrates such as affinity chromatography materials including Sephadex, Sepharose and the like are well known.

[0040] Monoclonal anti-gp120 antibodies can be produced by a number of conventional methods. A mouse can be injected with an immunogenic composition containing gp120 and spleen cells obtained. Those spleen cells can be fused with a fusion partner to prepare hybridomas. Antibodies secreted by the hybridomas can be screened to select a hybridoma wherein the antibodies neutralize HIV infectivity, as described hereinafter. Hybridomas that produce antibodies of the desired specificity are cultured by standard techniques.

[0041] Infected human lymphocytes can be used to prepare human hybridomas by a number of techniques such as fusion with a murine fusion partner or transformation with EBV. In addition, combinatorial libraries of human or mouse spleen can be expressed in E. coli to produce the antibodies. Kits for preparing combinatorial libraries are commercially available. Hybridoma preparation techniques and culture methods are well known and constitute no part of the present invention. Exemplary preparations of monoclonal antibodies are described in the Examples.

[0042] Following preparation of anti-gp120 monoclonal antibodies, the antibodies are screened to determine those antibodies which are neutralizing antibodies. Assays to determine whether a monoclonal antibody neutralizes HIV infectivity are well known and are described in the literature. Briefly, dilutions of antibody and HIV stock are combined and incubated for a time sufficient for antibody binding to the virus. Thereafter, cells that are susceptible to HIV infection are combined with the virus/antibody mixture and cultured. MT-2 cells or H9 cells are susceptible to infection by most HIV strains that are adapted for growth in the laboratory. Activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or macrophages can be infected with primary isolates (isolates from a patient specimens which have not been cultured in T-cell lines or transformed cell lines). Daar et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:6574-6578 (1990) describe methods for infecting cells with primary isolates.

[0043] After culturing the cells for about five days, the number of viable cells is determined, as by measuring metabolic conversion of the formazan MTT dye. The percentage of inhibition of infectivity is calculated to determine those antibodies that neutralize HIV. An exemplary preferred procedure for determining HIV neutralization is described in the Examples.

[0044] Those monoclonal antibodies which neutralize HIV are used to map the epitopes to which the antibodies bind. To determine the location of a gp120 neutralizing epitope, neutralizing antibodies are combined with fragments of gp120 to determine the fragments to which the antibodies bind. The gp120 fragments used to localize the neutralizing epitopes are preferably made by recombinant DNA methods as described hereinafter and exemplified in the Examples. By using a plurality of fragments, each encompassing different, overlapping portions of gp120, an amino acid sequence encompassing a neutralizing epitope to which a neutralizing antibody binds can be determined. A preferred exemplary determination of the neutralizing epitopes to which a series of neutralizing antibodies binds is described in detail in the Examples.

[0045] This use of overlapping fragments can narrow the location of the epitope to a region of about 20 to 40 residues. To confirm the location of the epitope and narrow the location to a region of about 5 to 10 residues, site-directed mutagenicity studies are preferably performed. Such studies can also determine the critical residues for binding of neutralizing antibodies. A preferred exemplary site-directed mutagenicity procedure is described in the Examples.

[0046] To perform site-directed mutagenicity studies, recombinant PCR techniques can be utilized to introduce single amino acid substitutions at selected sites into gp120 fragments containing the neutralizing epitope. Briefly, overlapping portions of the region containing the epitope are amplified using primers that incorporate the desired nucleotide changes. The resultant PCR products are annealed and amplified to generate the final product. The final product is then expressed to produce a mutagenized gp120 fragment. Expression of DNA encoding gp120 or a portion thereof is described hereinafter and exemplified in the Examples.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment described in Example 1, the gp120 fragments are expressed in mammalian cells that are capable of expression of gp120 fragments having the same glycolsylation and disulfide bonds as native gp120. The presence of proper glycolsylation and disulfide bonds provides fragments that are more likely to preserve the neutralizing epitopes than fragments that are expressed in E. coli, for example, which lack disulfide bonds and glycosylation or are chemically synthesized which lack glycolsylation and may lack disulfide bonds.

[0048] Those mutagenized gp120 fragments are then used in an immunoassay using gp120 as a control to determine the mutations that impair or eliminate binding of the neutralizing antibodies. Those critical amino acid residues form part of the neutralizing epitope that can only be altered in limited ways without eliminating the epitope. Each alteration that preserves the epitope can be determined. Such mutagenicity studies demonstrate the variations in the amino acid sequence of the neutralizing epitope that provide equivalent or diminished binding by neutralizing antibodies or eliminate antibody binding. Although the amino acid sequence of gp120 used in the vaccine preferably is identical to that of a selected HIV isolate for the given geographic region, alterations in the amino acid sequence of neutralizing epitope that are suitable for use in a vaccine can be determined by such studies.

[0049] Once a neutralizing epitope is localized to a region of ten to twenty amino acids of gp120, the amino acid sequence of corresponding neutralizing epitopes of other HIV isolates can be determined by identifying the corresponding portion of the gp120 amino acid sequence of the isolate.

[0050] Once the neutralizing epitopes for a given region of gp120 are determined, the amino acid sequence of HIV isolates for the geographic region are determined. The complete amino acid sequence for numerous isolates has been determined and is available from numerous journal articles and in databases. In such cases, determination of the amino acid sequence of HIV isolates for the geographic region involves looking up the sequence in an appropriate database or journal article. However, for some isolates, the amino acid sequence information does not include the sequence of the V2 or C4 domains.

[0051] When the amino acid sequence of a region of interest for a given isolate is not known, the amino acid sequence can be determined by well known methods. Methods for determining the amino acid sequence of a protein or peptide of interest are well known and are described in numerous references including Maniatis et al., Molecular Cloning—A laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (1984). In addition, automated instruments which sequence proteins are commercially available.

[0052] Alternatively, the nucleotide sequence of DNA encoding gp120 or a relevant portion of gp120 can be determined and the amino acid sequence of gp120 can be deduced. Methods for amplifying gp120-encoding DNA from HIV isolates to provide sufficient DNA for sequencing are well known. In particular, Ou et al, Science 256:1165-1171 (1992); Zhang et al. AIDS 5:675-681 (1991); and Wolinsky Science 255:1134-1137 (1992) describe methods for amplifying gp120 DNA. Sequencing of the amplified DNA is well known and is described in Maniatis et al., Molecular Cloning—A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (1984), and Horvath et al., An Automated DNA Synthesizer Employing Deoxynucleoside 3′-Phosphoramidites, Methods in Enzymology 154: 313-326, (1987), for example. In addition, automated instruments that sequence DNA are commercially available.

[0053] In a preferred embodiment, the isolate is a patient isolate which has not been passaged in culture. It is known that following passage in T-cells, HIV isolates mutate and isolates best suited for growth under cell culture conditions are selected. For example, cell culture strains of HIV develop the ability to form syncytia. Therefore, preferably the amino acid sequence of gp120 is determined from a patient isolate prior to growth in culture. Generally, DNA from the isolate is amplified to provide sufficient DNA for sequencing. The deduced amino acid sequence is used as the amino acid sequence of the isolate, as described hereinbefore.

[0054] To determine the percentage each isolate constitutes of total HIV that infects individuals in the geographic region, standard epidemiological methods are used. In particular, sufficient isolates are sequenced to ensure confidence that the percentage of each isolate in the geographic region has been determined. For example, Ichimura et al, AIDS Res. Hum. Retroviruses 10:263-269 (1994) describe an epidemiological study in Thailand that determined that there are two strains of HIV present in the region. HIV strains have only recently been present in Thailand and Thailand, therefore has the most homogenous population of HIV isolates known to date. The study sequenced 23 isolates from various parts of the country and determined that only two different amino acid sequences were present in the isolates.

[0055] In contrast, HIV has been infecting individuals in Africa for the longest period of any geographic region. In Africa, each of the most common isolates probably constitutes about 5% of the population. In such cases, more isolates would need to be sequenced to determine the percentage each isolate constitutes of the population. Population studies for determining the percentage of various strains of HIV, or other viruses, present in a geographic region are well known and are described in, for example, Ou et al, Lancet 341:1171-1174 (1993); Ou et al, AIDS Res. Hum. Retroviruses 8:1471-1472 (1992); and McCutchan et al., AIDS Res. Hum. Retroviruses 8:1887-1895 (1992).

[0056] In the United States and western Europe, probably about two to four different neutralizing epitopes in each of the V2, V3, and C4 domains constitute 50 to 70% of the neutralizing epitopes for each domain in the geographic region, as described more fully hereinafter.

[0057] Selection Method

[0058] Once the amino acid sequence of neutralizing epitopes for strains in a region are determined, gp120 from an HIV strain having gp120 that has an amino acid sequence for a neutralizing epitope in the V2 or C4 domain which sequence is one of the most common in the geographic region is selected. One of the most common neutralizing epitope amino acid sequences means that the strain has an amino acid sequence for at least one neutralizing epitope that is occurs among the most frequently for HIV isolates in the geographic region and thus is present as a significant percentage of the population. For example, if there are three sequences for a neutralizing epitope that constitute 20, 30, and 40 percent of the sequences for that epitope in the region and the remainder of the population is comprised by 2 to 4 other sequences, the three sequences are the most common. Therefore, in African countries, if each of several amino acid sequences constitute about 5% of the sequences for a neutralizing epitope and the remainder of the sequences each constitute less than 1% of the population, the isolates that constitute 5% of the population are the most common.

[0059] Preferably, isolates having the most common amino acid sequences for a neutralizing epitope are chosen. By the most common is meant that the sequences occur most frequently in the geographic region. For example, in the United States, the MN isolate has a C4 neutralizing epitope that comprises at least about 45% of the population. The GNE₈ isolate has a C4 neutralizing epitope that comprises at least about 45% of the population. Thus either isolate has the most common C4 neutralizing epitope in the region. When gp120 from each isolate is combined in a vaccine, greater than about 90% of the C4 neutralizing epitope sequences are present in the vaccine. In addition, the amino acid sequences for the V3 neutralizing epitope in the MN and GNE₈ isolates are substantially similar and comprise about 60% of the population. Therefore, those strains have the two most common neutralizing epitopes for the V3 domain. In the V2 region, the MN isolate amino acid sequences comprises about 10% of the population, and the GNE₈ isolate amino acid sequences comprises about 60% of the population. Therefore, the GNE₈ strain has the most common neutralizing epitope for the region and the two strains together comprise the two most common neutralizing epitopes for the region. A multivalent gp120 subunit vaccine containing the two isolates contains amino acid sequences for epitopes that constitute about 70% of the V2 domain, about 60% of the V3 domain, and about 90% of the C4 domain for the United States.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment of the method, one or more HIV isolates having an amino acid sequence for a neutralizing epitope in the V2 and/or C4 domains that constitute at least about 50% of the population for a selected geographic region are selected. In a more preferred embodiment, isolates having the most common neutralizing epitopes in the V3 domain are also included in the vaccine.

[0061] As is clear, once the most common amino acid sequences for the neutralizing epitopes in the V2, V3, and C4 domains are known, an isolate having a common epitope for each region is preferably selected. That is, when only two or three isolates are used for the vaccine, it is preferable to select the isolate for common epitopes in each region, rather than selecting an isolate by analysis of a single region.

[0062] In a more preferred embodiment, gp120 from isolates having epitopes that constitute at least 50% of the population for the geographic region for V2, V3, and C4 domains are present in the vaccine. More preferably, the isolates have epitopes that constitute at least 60% of the population for the geographic region for the three domains. Most preferably, 70% or more are included.

[0063] In another preferred embodiment, the entire amino acid sequence of the V2 and C4 domains is determined in the selection process. In addition to selecting common sequences for the neutralizing epitopes, isolates having unusual polymorphisms elsewhere in the region are preferably not used for the vaccine isolates.

[0064] Vaccine Preparation

[0065] gp120 from the selected HIV isolate(s) is used to make a subunit vaccine, preferably a multivalent subunit vaccine. Preparation of gp120 for use in a vaccine is well known and is described hereinafter. With the exception of the use of the selected HIV isolate, the gp120 subunit vaccine prepared in the method does not differ from gp120 subunit vaccines of the prior art.

[0066] As with prior art gp120 subunit vaccines, gp120 at the desired degree of purity and at a sufficient concentration to induce antibody formation is mixed with a physiologically acceptable carrier. A physiologically acceptable carrier is nontoxic to a recipient at the dosage and concentration employed in the vaccine. Generally, the vaccine is formulated for injection, usually intramuscular or subcutaneous injection. Suitable carriers for injection include sterile water, but preferably are physiologic salt solutions, such as normal saline or buffered salt solutions such as phosphate buffered saline or ringer's lactate. The vaccine generally contains an adjuvant. Useful adjuvants include QS21 which stimulates cytotoxic T-cells and alum (aluminum hydroxide adjuvant). Formulations with different adjuvants which enhance cellular or local immunity can also be used.

[0067] Addition excipients that can be present in the vaccine include low molecular weight polypeptides (less than about 10 residues), proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates including glucose or dextrans, chelating agents such as EDTA, and other excipients.

[0068] The vaccine can also contain other HIV proteins. In particular, gp41 or the extracellular portion of gp41 can be present in the vaccine. Since gp41 has a conserved amino acid sequence, the gp41 present in the vaccine can be from any HIV isolate. gp160 from an isolate used in the vaccine can replace gp120 in the vaccine or be used together with gp120 from the isolate. Alternatively, gp160 from an isolate having a different neutralizing epitope than those in the vaccine isolates can additionally be present in the vaccine.

[0069] Vaccine formulations generally include a total of about 300 to 600 μg of gp120, conveniently in about 1.0 ml of carrier. The amount of gp120 for any isolate present in the vaccine will vary depending on the immunogenicity of the gp120. For example, gp120 from the Thai strains of HIV are much less immunogenic than gp120 from the MN strain. If the two strains were to be used in combination, empirical titration of the amount of each virus would be performed to determine the percent of the gp120 of each strain in the vaccine. For isolates having similar immunogenicity, approximately equal amounts of each isolate's gp120 would be present in the vaccine. For example, in a preferred embodiment, the vaccine includes gp120 from the MN, GNE₈, and GNE₁₆ strains at concentrations of about 300 μg per strain in about 1.0 ml of carrier. Methods of determining the relative amount of an immunogenic protein in multivalent vaccines are well known and have been used, for example, to determine relative proportions of various isolates in multivalent polio vaccines.

[0070] The vaccines of this invention are administered in the same manner as prior art HIV gp120 subunit vaccines. In particular, the vaccines are generally administered at 0, 1, and at 6, 8 or 12 months, depending on the protocol. Following the immunization procedure, annual or bi-annual boosts can be administered. However, during the immunization process and thereafter, neutralizing antibody levels can be assayed and the protocol adjusted accordingly.

[0071] The vaccine is administered to uninfected individuals. In addition, the vaccine can be administered to seropositive individuals to augment immune response to the virus, as with prior art HIV vaccines. It is also contemplated that DNA encoding the strains of gp120 for the vaccine can be administered in a suitable vehicle for expression in the host. In this way, gp120 can be produced in the infected host, eliminating the need for repeated immunizations. Preparation of gp120 expression vehicles is described hereinafter.

[0072] Production of gp120

[0073] gp120 in the vaccine can be produced by any suitable means, as with prior art HIV gp120 subunit vaccines. Recombinantly-produced or chemically synthesized gp120 is preferable to gp120 isolated directly from HIV for safety reasons. Methods for recombinant production of gp120 are described below.

DNA Encoding GNE₈ and GNE₁₆ gp120 and the Resultant Proteins

[0074] The present invention also provides novel DNA sequences encoding gp120 from the GNE₈ and GNE₁₆ isolates which can be used to express gp120 and the resultant gp120 proteins. A nucleotide sequence of less than about 5 kilobases (Kb), preferably less than about 3 Kb having the nucleotide sequence illustrated in Tables 1 and 2, respectively, encodes gp120 from-the GNE₈ and GNE₁₆ isolates. The sequences of the genes and the encoded proteins are shown below in Tables 1-3. In particular, Table 1 illustrates the nucleotide sequence (SEQ. ID. NO. 27) and the predicted amino acid sequence (SEQ. ID. NO. 28) of the GNE₈ isolate of HIV. The upper sequence is the coding strand. The table also illustrates the location of each of the restriction sites.                                                     hgiCI                                                     banI                                     scfI                                                    bsp1286                                   pstI                                                    bmyI         styI                scfI     bsgI 1 ATGATAGTGA AGGGGATCAG GAAGAATTGT CAGCACTTGT GGAGATGGGG CACCATGCTC CTTGGGATGT TGATGATCTG TAGTGCTGCA GAAAAATTGT TACTATCACT TCCCCTAGTC CTTCTTAACA GTCGTGAACA CCTCTACCCC GTGGTACGAG GAACCCTACA ACTACTAGAC ATCACGACGT CTTTTTAACA 1 M  I  V  K   G  I  R   K  N  C   Q  H  L  W   R  W  G   T  M  L   L  G  M  L   M  I  C   S  A  A   E  K  L  W                     kpnI                     hgiCI                     banI                     asp718                     acc65I                                                        ndeI 101 GGGTCACAGT CTATTATGGG GTACCTGTGT GGAAAGAAGC AACCACCACT CTATTTTGTG CATCAGATGC TAAAGCATAT GATACAGAGG TACATAATGT CCCAGTGTCA GATAATACCC CATGGACACA CCTTTCTTCG TTGGTGGTGA GATAAAACAC GTAGTCTACG ATTTCGTATA CTATGTCTCC ATGTATTACA 35   V  T  V   Y  Y  G   V  P  V  W   K  E  A   T  T  T   L  F  C  A   S  D  A   K  A  Y   D  T  E  V   H  N  V                                                                                     nspI          nspI                                                                       nspHI          nspHI                                                             apoI     aflIII 201 TTGGGCCACA CATGCCTGTG TACCCACAGA CCCCAACCCA CAAGAAATAG GATTGGAAAA TGTAACAGAA AATTTTAACA TGTGGAAAAA TAACATGGTA AACCCGGTGT GTACGGACAC ATGGGTGTCT GGGGTTGGGT GTTCTTTATC CTAACCTTTT ACATTGTCTT TTAAAATTGT ACACCTTTTT ATTGTACCAT 68  W  A  T   H  A  C  V   P  T  D   P  N  P   Q  E  I  G   L  E  N   V  T  E   N  F  N  M   W  K  N   N  M  V       ppu10I       nsiI/avaIII                        hindIII                         draIII         ahaIII/draI 301 GAACAGATGC ATGAGGATAT AATCAGTTTA TGGGATCAAA GCTTAAAGCC ATGTGTAAAA TTAACCCCAC TATGTGTTAC TTTAAATTGC ACTGATTTGA CTTGTCTACG TACTCCTATA TTAGTCAAAT ACCCTAGTTT CGAATTTCGG TACACATTTT AATTGGGGTG ATACACAATG AAATTTAACG TGACTAAACT 101 E  Q  M  H   E  D  I   I  S  L   W  D  Q  S   L  K  P   C  V  K   L  T  P  L   C  V  T   L  N  C   T  D  L  K                            pvuII                   speI     nspBII 401 AAAATGCTAC TAATACCACT AGTAGCAGCT GGGGAAAGAT GGAGAGAGGA GAAATAAAAA ACTGCTCTTT CAATGTCACC ACAAGTATAA GAGATAAGAT TTTTACGATG ATTATGGTGA TCATCGTCGA CCCCTTTCTA CCTCTCTCCT CTTTATTTTT TGACGAGAAA GTTACAGTGG TGTTCATATT CTCTATTCTA 135   N  A  T   N  T  T   S  S  S  W   G  K  M   E  R  G   E  I  K  N   C  S  F   N  V  T   T  S  I  R   D  K  M                                                                      scfI 501 GAAGAATGAA TATGCACTTT TTTATAAACT TGATGTAGTA CCAATAGATA ATGATAATAC TAGCTATAGG TTGATAAGTT GTAACACCTC AGTCATTACA CTTCTTACTT ATACGTGAAA AAATATTTGA ACTACATCAT GGTTATCTAT TACTATTATG ATCGATATCC AACTATTCAA CATTGTGGAG TCAGTAATGT 168  K  N  E   Y  A  L  F   Y  K  L   D  V  V   P  I  D  N   D  N  T   S  Y  R   L  I  S  C   N  T  S   V  I  T  stuI                                             bsp1286  haeI                                             bmyI 601 CAGGCCTGTC CAAAGGTGTC CTTTGAGCCA ATTCCCATAC ATTATTGTGC CCCGGCTGGT TTTGCGATTC TAAAGTGTAG AGATAAAAAG TTCAACGGAA GTCCGGACAG GTTTCCACAG GAAACTCGGT TAAGGGTATG TAATAACACG GGGCCGACCA AAACGCTAAG ATTTCACATC TCTATTTTTC AAGTTGCCTT 201 Q  A  C  P   K  V  S   F  E  P   I  P  I  H   Y  C  A   P  A  G   F  A  I  L   K  C  R   D  K  K   F  N  G  T         bsp1407I                   bsp1407I        haeI 701 CAGGACCATG TACAAATGTC AGCACAGTAC AATGTACACA TGGAATTAGG CCAGTAGTAT CAACTCAACT GCTGTTAAAT GGCAGTTTAG CAGAAGAAGA GTCCTGGTAC ATGTTTACAG TCGTGTCATG TTACATGTGT ACCTTAATCC GGTCATCATA GTTGAGTTGA CGACAATTTA CCGTCAAATC GTCTTCTTCT 235   G  P  C   T  N  V   S  T  V  Q   C  T  H   G  I  R   P  V  V  S   T  Q  L   L  L  N   G  S  L  A   E  E  E            bstYI/xhoII                                   pvuII                        bsp1407I            bglII                                         nspBII        scfI     aseI/asnI/vspI 801 AGTAGTAATT AGATCTGCCA ATTTCTCGGA CAATGCTAAA ACCATAATAG TACAGCTGAA CGAATCTGTA GAAATTAATT GTACAAGACC CAACAACAAT TCATCATTAA TCTAGACGGT TAAAGAGCCT GTTACGATTT TGGTATTATC ATGTCGACTT GCTTAGACAT CTTTAATTAA CATGTTCTGG GTTGTTGTTA 268  V  V  I   R  S  A  N   F  S  D   N  A  K   T  I  I  V   Q  L  N   E  S  V   E  I  N  C   T  R  P   N  N  N            bst1107I            accI 901 ACAAGAAGAA GTATACATAT AGGACCAGGG AGAGCATTTT ATGCAACAGG AGAAATAATA GGAGACATAA GACAAGCACA TTGTAACCTT AGTAGCACAA TGTTCTTCTT CATATGTATA TCCTGGTCCC TCTCGTAAAA TACGTTGTCC TCTTTATTAT CCTCTGTATT CTGTTCGTGT AACATTGGAA TCATCGTGTT 301 T  R  R  S   I  H  I   G  P  G   R  A  F  Y   A  T  G   E  I  I   G  D  I  R   Q  A  H   C  N  L   S  S  T  K                                                                                             ppuMI                                                                                   eco81I    eco0109I/draII               ahaIII/draI                                                         bsu36I/mstII/sauI 1001 AATGGAATAA TACTTTAAAA CAGATAGTTA CAAAATTAAG AGAACATTTT AATAAAACAA TAGTCTTTAA TCACTCCTCA GGAGGGGACC CAGAAATTGT TTACCTTATT ATGAAATTTT GTCTATCAAT GTTTTAATTC TCTTGTAAAA TTATTTTGTT ATCAGAAATT AGTGAGGAGT CCTCCCCTGG GTCTTTAACA 335   W  N  N   T  L  K   Q  I  V  T   K  L  R   E  H  F   N  K  T  I   V  F  N   H  S  S   G  G  D  P   E  I  V                            apoI                                    scaI                                 eco57I 1101 AATGCACAGT TTTAATTGTG GAGGGGAATT TTTCTACTGT AATACAACAC CACTGTTTAA TAGTACTTGG AATTATACTT ATACTTGGAA TAATACTGAA TTACGTGTCA AAATTAACAC CTCCCCTTAA AAAGATGACA TTATGTTGTG GTGACAAATT ATCATGAACC TTAATATGAA TATGAACCTT ATTATGACTT 368  M  H  S   F  N  C  G   G  E  F   F  Y  C   N  T  T  P   L  F  N   S  T  W   N  Y  T  Y   T  W  N   N  T  E                                                                nspI                                                                nspHI                                                                aflIII 1201 GGGTCAAATG ACACTGGAAG AAATATCACA CTCCAATGCA GAATAAAACA AATTATAAAC ATGTGGCAGG AAGTAGGAAA AGCAATGTAT GCCCCTCCCA CCCAGTTTAC TGTGACCTTC TTTATAGTGT GAGGTTACGT CTTATTTTGT TTAATATTTG TACACCGTCC TTCATCCTTT TCGTTACATA CGGGGAGGGT 401 G  S  N  D   T  G  R   N  I  T   L  Q  C  R   I  K  Q   I  I  N   M  W  Q  E   V  G  K   A  M  Y   A  P  P  I                                                                                           eco57I                 mamI                                                                 bstYI/xhoII   gsuI/bpmI                 bsaBI       sspI                                                     bglII       ecoNI 1301 TAAGAGGACA AATTAGATGC TCATCAAATA TTACAGGGCT GCTATTAACA AGAGATGGTG GTAATAACAG CGAAACCGAG ATCTTCAGAC CTGGAGGAGG ATTCTCCTGT TTAATCTACG AGTAGTTTAT AATGTCCCGA CGATAATTGT TCTCTACCAC CATTATTGTC GCTTTGGCTC TAGAAGTCTG GACCTCCTCC 435   R  G  Q   I  R  C   S  S  N  I   T  G  L   L  L  T   R  D  G  G   N  N  S   E  T  E   I  F  R  P   G  G  G              munI                                                                   styI         earI/ksp632I 1401 AGATATGAGG GACAATTGGA GAAGTGAATT ATATAAATAT AAAGTAGTAA AAATTGAACC ATTAGGAGTA GCACCCACCA AGGCAAAGAG AAGAGTGATG TCTATACTCC CTGTTAACCT CTTCACTTAA TATATTTATA TTTCATCATT TTTAACTTGG TAATCCTCAT CGTGGGTGGT TCCGTTTCTC TTCTCACTAC 468  D  M  R   D  N  W  R   S  E  L   Y  K  Y   K  V  V  K   I  E  P   L  G  V   A  P  T  K   A  K  R   R  V  M                                          styI 1501 CAGAGAGAAA AAAGAGCAGT GGGAATAGGA GCTGTGTTCC TTGGGTTCTT GGGAGCAGCA GGAAGCACTA TGGGCGCAGC GTCAGTGACG CTGACGGTAC GTCTCTCTTT TTTCTCGTCA CCCTTATCCT CGACACAAGG AACCCAAGAA CCCTCGTCGT CCTTCGTGAT ACCCGCGTCG CAGTCACTGC GACTGCCATG 501 Q  R  E  K   R  A  V   G  I  G   A  V  F  L   G  F  L   G  A  A   G  S  T  M   G  A  A   S  V  T   L  T  V  Q haeI                                                                      alwNI 1601 AGGCCAGACT ATTATTGTCT GGTATAGTGC AACAGCAGAA CAATTTGCTG AGGGCTATTG AGGCCGAACA GCATCTGTTG CAACTCACAG TCTGGGGCAT TCCGGTCTGA TAATAACAGA CCATATCACG TTGTCGTCTT GTTAAACGAC TCCCGATAAC TCCGGCTTGT CGTAGACAAC GTTGAGTGTC AGACCCCGTA 535   A  R  L   L  L  S   G  I  V  Q   Q  Q  N   N  L  L   R  A  I  E   A  E  Q   H  L  L   Q  L  T  V   W  G  I        gsuI/bpmI                                         alwNI 1701 CAAGCAGCTC CAGGCAAGAG TCCTGGCTGT GGAGAGATAC CTAAAGGATC AACAGCTCCT GGGGATTTGG GGTTGCTCTG GAAAACTCAT CTGCACCACT GTTCGTCGAG GTCCGTTCTC AGGACCGACA CCTCTCTATG GATTTCCTAG TTGTCGAGGA CCCCTAAACC CCAACGAGAC CTTTTGAGTA GACGTGGTGA 568  K  Q  L   Q  A  R  V   L  A  V   E  R  Y   L  K  D  Q   Q  L  L   G  I  W   G  C  S  G   K  L  I   C  T  T       styI  bsmI                                                                                           hindIII 1801 GCTGTGCCTT GGAATGCTAG TTGGAGTAAT AAATCTCTGG ATAAGATTTG GGATAACATG ACCTGGATGG AGTGGGAAAG AGAAATTGAC AATTACACAA CGACACGGAA CCTTACGATC AACCTCATTA TTTAGAGACC TATTCTAAAC CCTATTGTAC TGGACCTACC TCACCCTTTC TCTTTAACTG TTAATGTGTT 601 A  V  P  W   N  A  S   W  S  N   K  S  L  D   K  I  W   D  N  M   T  W  M  E   W  E  R   E  I  D   N  Y  T  S 1901 GCTTAATATA CAGCTTAATT GAAGAATCGC AGAACCAACA AGAAAAAAAT GAACAAGAAT TATTGGAATT AGATAAATGG GCAAGTTTGT GGAATTGGTT CGAATTATAT GTCGAATTAA CTTCTTAGCG TCTTGGTTGT TCTTTTTTTA CTTGTTCTTA ATAACCTTAA TCTATTTACC CGTTCAAACA CCTTAACCAA 635   L  I  Y   S  L  I   E  E  S  Q   N  Q  Q   E  K  N   E  Q  E  L   L  E  L   D  K  W   A  S  L  W   N  W  F                                  sspI                                                            scfI 2001 TGACATAACA AAATGGCTGT GGTATATAAA AATATTCATA ATGATAGTAG GAGGCTTGGT AGGTTTAAGA ATAGTTTTTA CTGTACTTTC TATAGTGAAT ACTGTATTGT TTTACCGACA CCATATATTT TTATAAGTAT TACTATCATC CTCCGAACCA TCCAAATTCT TATCAAAAAT GACATGAAAG ATATCACTTA 668  D  I  T   K  W  L  W   Y  I  K   I  F  I   M  I  V  G   G  L  V   G  L  R   I  V  F  T   V  L  S   I  V  N                                                        avaI 2101 AGAGTTAGGA AGGGATACTC ACCATTATCG TTCCAGACCC ACCTCCCAGC CCCGAGGGGA CTCGACAGGC CCGAAGGAAC CGAAGAAGAA GGTGGAGAGC TCTCAATCCT TCCCTATGAG TGGTAATAGC AAGGTCTGGG TGGAGGGTCG GGGCTCCCCT GAGCTGTCCG GGCTTCCTTG GCTTCTTCTT CCACCTCTCG 701 R  V  R  K   G  Y  S   P  L  S   F  Q  T  H   L  P  A   P  R  G   L  D  R  P   E  G  T   E  E  E   G  G  E  R                                                               bspMI                                                           salI                 xcmI                                      hincII/hindII            eco57I             bstYI/xhoII                       munI        accI                   earI/ksp632I 2201 GAGACAGAGA CAGATCCAGT CGATTAGTGG ATGGATTCTT AGCAATTGTC TGGGTCGACC TGCGGAGCCT GTGCCTCTTC AGCTACCACC GCTTGAGAGA CTCTGTCTCT GTCTAGGTCA GCTAATCACC TACCTAAGAA TCGTTAACAG ACCCAGCTGG ACGCCTCGGA CACGGAGAAG TCGATGGTGG CGAACTCTCT 735   D  R  D   R  S  S   R  L  V  D   G  F  L   A  I  V   W  V  D  L   R  S  L   C  L  F   S  Y  H  R   L  R  D                                                                     sspI              scfI 2301 CTTACTCTTG ATTGCAGCGA GGATTGTGGA ACTTCTGGGA CGCAGGGGGT GGGAACCCCT CAAATATTGG TGGAATCTCC TACAGTATTG GATTCAGGAA GAATGAGAAC TAACGTCGCT CCTAACACCT TGAAGACCCT GCGTCCCCCA CCCTTCGGGA GTTTATAACC ACCTTAGAGG ATGTCATAAC CTAAGTCCTT 768  L  L  L   I  A  A  R   I  V  E   L  L  G   R  R  G  W   E  A  L   K  Y  W   W  N  L  L   Q  Y  W   I  Q  E                                                alwNI 2401 CTAAAGAATA GTGCTGTTAG CTTGCTCAAT GCCACAGCCA TAGCAGTAGC TGAGGGAACA GATAGGGTTA TAGAAATAGT ACAAAGAGCT TATAGAGCTA GATTTCTTAT CACGACAATC GAACGAGTTA CGGTGTCGGT ATCGTCATCG ACTCCCTTGT CTATCCCAAT ATCTTTATCA TGTTTCTCGA ATATCTCGAT 801 L  K  N  S   A  V  S   L  L  N   A  T  A  I   A  V  A   E  G  T   D  R  V  I   E  I  V   Q  R  A   Y  R  A  I 2501 TTCTCCACAT ACCCACACGA ATAAGACAGG GCTTGGAAAG GGCTTTGCTA TAA AAGAGGTGTA TGGGTGTGCT TATTCTGTCC CGAACCTTTC CCGAAACGAT ATT 835   L  H  I   P  T  R   I  R  Q  G   L  E  R   A  L  L   O

[0075] Table 2 illustrates the nucleotide sequence and the predicted amino acid sequence of the GNE₁₆ isolate of HIV. The upper sequence is the coding strand. The table also illustrates the location of each of the restriction sites. The first four pages of the table are from one clone of the gene and the second three pages of the table are from another clone of the gene. The sequences of the clones differ by about 2%. (The nucleotide sequences are SEQ. ID. NOs. 28 and 29, respectively. The amino acid sequences are SEQ. ID. NOs. 30 and 31, respectively.) It is noted that each of the sequences includes a stop codon. A gene sequence that encodes full length gp120 can be made by repairing one of the sequences.                                                     hgiCI                                                     banI                                     scfI                                                    bsp1286                                   pstI                                                    bmyI         styI                scfI     bsgI 1 ATGAGAGTGA AGGGGATCAG GAGGAATTAT CAGCACTTGT GGAGATGGGG CACCATGCTC CTTGGGATAT TGATGATCTG TAGTGCTGCA GGGAAATTGT TACTCTCACT TCCCCTAGTC CTCCTTAATA GTCGTGAACA CCTCTACCCC GTGGTACGAG GAACCCTATA ACTACTAGAC ATCACGACGT CCCTTTAACA 1 M  R  V  K   G  I  R   R  N  Y   Q  H  L  W   R  W  G   T  M  L   L  G  I  L   M  I  C   S  A  A   G  K  L  W                     kpnI                     hgiCI                     banI                     asp718                     acc65I                                                        ndeI 101 GGGTCACAGT CTATTATGGG GTACCTGTGT GGAAAGAAAC AACCACCACT CTATTTTGTG CATCAGATGC TAAAGCATAT GATACAGAGA TACATAATGT CCCAGTGTCA GATAATACCC CATGGACACA CCTTTCTTTG TTGGTGGTGA GATAAAACAC GTAGTCTACG ATTTCGTATA CTATGTCTCT ATGTATTACA 35   V  T  V   Y  Y  G   V  P  V  W   K  E  T   T  T  T   L  F  C  A   S  D  A   K  A  Y   D  T  E  I   H  N  V                                                                                      nspI          nspI                                                                       nspHI          nspHI                                                             apoI     aflIII 201 TTGGGCCACA CATGCCTGTG TACCCACAGA CCCCAACCCA CAAGAAGTAG TATTGGAAAA TGTGACAGAA AATTTTAACA TGTGGAAAAA TAACATGGTG AACCCGGTGT GTACGGACAC ATGGGTGTCT GGGGTTGGGT GTTCTTCATC ATAACCTTTT ACACTGTCTT TTAAAATTGT ACACCTTTTT ATTGTACCAC 68  W  A  T   H  A  C  V   P  T  D   P  N  P   Q  E  V  V   L  E  N   V  T  E   N  F  N  M   W  K  N   N  M  V       ppu10I       nsiI/avaIII                            ahaIII/draI                 draIII         ahaIII/draI 301 GAACAGATGC ATGAGGATAT AATCAGTTTA TGGGATCAAA GTTTAAAGCC ATGTGTAAAA TTAACCCCAC TCTGTGTTAC TTTAAATTGC ACTGATGCGG CTTGTCTACG TACTCCTATA TTAGTCAAAT ACCCTAGTTT CAAATTTCGG TACACATTTT AATTGGGGTG AGACACAATG AAATTTAACG TGACTACGCC 101 E  Q  M  H   E  D  I   I  S  L   W  D  Q  S   L  K  P   C  V  K   L  T  P  L   C  V  T   L  N  C   T  D  A  G                                          gsuI/bpmI 401 GGAATACTAC TAATACCAAT AGTAGTAGCA GGGAAAAGCT GGAGAAAGGA GAAATAAAAA ACTGCTCTTT CAATATCACC ACAAGCGTGA GAGATAAGAT CCTTATGATG ATTATGGTTA TCATCATCGT CCCTTTTCGA CCTCTTTCCT CTTTATTTTT TGACGAGAAA GTTATAGTGG TGTTCGCACT CTCTATTCTA 135   N  T  T   N  T  N   S  S  S  R   E  K  L   E  K  G   E  I  K  N   C  S  F   N  I  T   T  S  V  R   D  K  M                                {circumflex over ( )}421,reverse                                                                       scaI         scaI     safI 501 GCAGAAAGAA ACTGCACTTT TTAATAAACT TGATATAGTA CCAATAGATG ATGATGATAG GAATAGTACT AGGAATAGTA CTAACTATAG GTTGATAAGT CGTCTTTCTT TGACGTGAAA AATTATTTGA ACTATATCAT GGTTATCTAC TACTACTATC CTTATCATGA TCCTTATCAT GATTGATATC CAACTATTCA 168  Q  K  E   T  A  L  F   N  K  L   D  I  V   P  I  D  D   D  D  R   N  S  T   R  N  S  T   N  Y  R   L  I  S     {circumflex over ( )}43r2,reverse                         stuI                         haeI 601 TGTAACACCT CAGTCATTAC ACAGGCCTGT CCAAAGGTAT CATTTGAGCC AATTCCCATA CATTTCTGTA CCCCGGCTGG TTTTGCGCTT CTAAAGTGTA ACATTGTGGA GTCAGTAATG TGTCCGGACA GGTTTCCATA GTAAACTCGG TTAAGGGTAT GTAAAGACAT GGGGCCGACC AAAACGCGAA GATTTCACAT 201 C  N  T  S   V  I  T   Q  A  C   P  K  V  S   F  E  P   I  P  I   H  F  C  T   P  A  G   F  A  L   L  K  C  N                                                           bsp1407I        haeI 701 ATAATAAGAC GTTCAATGGA TCAGGACCAT GCAAAAATGT CAGCACAGTA CAATGTACAC ATGGAATTAG GCCAGTAGTA TCAACTCAAC TGCTGTTAAA TATTATTCTG CAAGTTACCT AGTCCTGGTA CGTTTTTACA GTCGTGTCAT GTTACATGTG TACCTTAATC CGGTCATCAT AGTTGAGTTG ACGACAATTT 235   N  K  T   F  N  G   S  G  P  C   K  N  V   S  T  V   Q  C  T  H   G  I  R   P  V  V   S  T  Q  L   L  L  N                                   bstYI/xhoII                                   pvuII                                   bglII   apoI                                  nspBII                 aseI/asnI/vspI 801 TGGCAGTCTA GCAGAAGGAG AGGTAGTAAT TAGATCTGAA AATTTCACGA ACAATGCTAA AACCATAATA GTACAGCTGA CAGAACCAGT AAAAATTAAT ACCGTCAGAT CGTCTTCCTC TCCATCATTA ATCTAGACTT TTAAAGTGCT TGTTACGATT TTGGTATTAT CATGTCGACT GTCTTGGTCA TTTTTAATTA 268  G  S  L   A  E  G  E   V  V  I   R  S  E   N  F  T  N   N  A  K   T  I  I   V  Q  L  T   E  P  V   K  I  N                                                                              {circumflex over ( )}f1,forward                                   bst1107I bsp1407I                          accI  scfI 901 TGTACAAGAC CCAACAACAA TACAAGAAAA AGTATACCTA TAGGACCAGG GAGAGCATTT TATGCAACAG GAGACATAAT AGGAAATATA AGACAAGCAC ACATGTTCTG GGTTGTTGTT ATGTTCTTTT TCATATGGAT ATCCTGGTCC CTCTCGTAAA ATACGTTGTC CTCTGTATTA TCCTTTATAT TCTGTTCGTG 301 C  T  R  P   N  N  N   T  R  K   S  I  P  I   G  P  G   R  A  F   Y  A  T  G   D  I  I   G  N  I   R  Q  A  H                            {circumflex over ( )}875,reverse                                                                                                             eco81I                                                                                                             bsu36I/mstII/sauI 1001 ATTGTAACCT TAGTAGAACA GACTGGAATA ACACTTTAGG ACAGATAGTT GAAAAATTAA GAGAACAATT TGGGAATAAA ACAATAATCT TTAATCACTC TAACATTGGA ATCATCTTGT CTGACCTTAT TGTGAAATCC TGTCTATCAA CTTTTTAATT CTCTTGTTAA ACCCTTATTT TGTTATTAGA AATTAGTGAG 335   C  N  L   S  R  T   D  W  N  N   T  L  G   Q  I  V   E  K  L  R   E  Q  F   G  N  K   T  I  I  F   N  H  S         ppuMI         eco0109I/draII                               apoI                       munI         scaI 1101 CTCAGGAGGG GACCCAGAAA TTGTAATGCA CAGTTTTAAT TGTAGAGGGG AATTTTTCTA CTGTAATACA ACACAATTGT TTGACAGTAC TTGGGATAAT GAGTCCTCCC CTGGGTCTTT AACATTACGT GTCAAAATTA ACATCTCCCC TTAAAAAGAT GACATTATGT TGTGTTAACA AACTGTCATG AACCCTATTA 368  S  G  G   D  P  E  I   V  M  H   S  F  N   C  R  G  E   F  F  Y   C  N  T   T  Q  L  F   D  S  T   W  D  N                                                                                    nspI                              earI/ksp632I                                          nspHI                            eco57I                                                  aflIII 1201 ACTAAAGTGT CAAATGGCAC TAGCACTGAA GAGAATAGCA CAATCACACT CCCATGCAGA ATAAAGCAAA TTGTAAACAT GTGGCAGGAA GTAGGAAAAG TGATTTCACA GTTTACCGTG ATCGTGACTT CTCTTATCGT GTTAGTGTGA GGGTACGTCT TATTTCGTTT AACATTTGTA CACCGTCCTT CATCCTTTTC 401 T  K  V  S   N  G  T   S  T  E   E  N  S  T   I  T  L   P  C  R   I  K  Q  I   V  N  M   W  Q  E   V  G  K  A                                     mamI                                     bsaBI       sspI                                                       bsaI 1301 CAATGTATGC CCCTCCCATC AGAGGACAAA TTAGATGTTC ATCAAATATT ACAGGGTTGC TATTAACAAG AGATGGAGGT ACTAACAACA GCATGAATGA GTTACATACG GGGAGGGTAG TCTCCTGTTT AATCTACAAG TAGTTTATAA TGTCCCAACG ATAATTGTTC TCTACCTCCA TCATTGTTGT CGTACTTACT 435   M  Y  A   P  P  I   R  G  Q  I   R  C  S   S  N  I   T  G  L  L   L  T  R   D  G  G   S  N  N  S   M  N  E          {circumflex over ( )}2,16.7f3,forward             gsuI/bpmI    eco57I  ecoNI                    munI                                                                   styI 1401 GACCTTCAGA CCTGGAGGAG GAGATATGAG GGACAATTGG AGAAGTGAAT TATACAAATA TAAAGTAGTA AAAATTGAAC CATTAGGAGT AGCACCCACC CTGGAAGTCT GGACCTCCTC CTCTATACTC CCTGTTAACC TCTTCACTTA ATATGTTTAT ATTTCATCAT TTTTAACTTG GTAATCCTCA TCGTGGGTGG 468  T  F  R   P  G  G  G   D  M  R   D  N  W   R  S  E  L   Y  K  Y   K  V  V   K  I  E  P   L  G  V   A  P  T  {circumflex over ( )}c4rev4,reverse            earI/ksp632I                                         styI 1501 AAGGCAAAGA GAAGAGTGGT GCAGAGAGAA AAAAGAGCAG TGGGAATAGG AGCTGTGTTC CTTGGGTTCT TAGGAGCAGC AGGAAGCACT ATGGGCGCAG TTCCGTTTCT CTTCTCACCA CGTCTCTCTT TTTTCTCGTC ACCCTTATCC TCGACACAAG GAACCCAAGA ATCCTCGTCG TCCTTCGTGA TACCCGCGTC 501 K  A  K  R   R  V  V   Q  R  E   K  R  A  V   G  I  G   A  V  F   L  G  F  L   G  A  A   G  S  T   M  G  A  A                        haeI                                                                      alwNI 1601 CGTCAATAAC GCTGACGGTA CAGGCCAGAC TATTATTGTC TGGTATAGTG CAACAGCAGA ACAATTTGCT GAGGGCTATT GAGGCGCAAC AGCATCTGTT GCAGTTATTG CGACTGCCAT GTCCGGTCTG ATAATAACAG ACCATATCAC GTTGTCGTCT TGTTAAACGA CTCCCGATAA CTCCGCGTTG TCGTAGACAA 535   S  I  T   L  T  V   Q  A  R  L   L  L  S   G  I  V   Q  Q  Q  N   N  L  L   R  A  I   E  A  Q  Q   H  L  L                              {circumflex over ( )}43f5,forward                                          {circumflex over ( )}43r3,reverse                                                                   eco81I        alwNI                               gsuI/bpmI                           bsu36I/mstII/sauI 701 GCAACTCATA GTCTGGGGCA TCAAGCAGCT CCAGGCAAGA GTCCTGGCTG TGGAAAGATA CCTAAGGGAT CAACAGCTCC TGGGGATTTG GGGTTGCTCT CGTTGAGTAT CAGACCCCCT AGTTCGTCGA GGTCCGTTCT CAGGACCGAC ACCTTTCTAT GGATTCCCTA GTTGTCGAGG ACCCCTAAAC CCCAACGAGA 568  Q  L  I   V  W  G  I   K  Q  L   Q  A  R   V  L  A  V   E  R  Y   L  R  D   Q  Q  L  L   G  I  W   G  C  S                              styI  bsmI                      xbaI 801 GGAAAACTCA TTTGCACCAC CTCAGTGCCT TGGAATGCTA GTTGGAGTAA TAAATCTCTA GATAAGATTT GGGATAACAT GACCTGGATG GAGTGGGAAA CCTTTTGAGT AAACGTGGTG GAGTCACGGA ACCTTACGAT CAACCTCATT ATTTAGAGAT CTATTCTAAA CCCTATTGTA CTGGACCTAC CTCACCCTTT 601 G  K  L  I   C  T  T   S  V  P   W  N  A  S   W  S  N   K  S  L   D  K  I  W   D  N  M   T  W  M   E  W  E  R                     hindIII 901 GAGAAATTGA GAATTACACA AGCTTAATAT ACACCTTAAT TGAAGAATCG CAGAACCAAC AAGAAAAGAA TGAACAAGAC TTATTGGAAT TGGATCAATG CTCTTTAACT CTTAATGTGT TCGAATTATA TGTGGAATTA ACTTCTTAGC GTCTTGGTTG TTCTTTTCTT ACTTGTTCTG AATAACCTTA ACCTAGTTAC 635   E  I  E   N  Y  T   S  L  I  Y   T  L  I   E  E  S   Q  N  Q  Q   E  K  N   E  Q  D   L  L  E  L   D  Q  W                                                         spI 1001 GGCAAGTCTG TGGAATTCGT TTAGCATAAC AAAATGGCTG TGGTATATAA AAATATTCAT AATGATAGTT GGAGGCTTGG TAGGTTTAAG AATAGTTTTT CCGTTCAGAC ACCTTAACCA AATCGTATTG TTTTACCGAC ACCATATATT TTTATAAGTA TTACTATCAA CCTCCGAACC ATCCAAATTC TTATCAAAAA 668  A  S  L   W  N  W  F   S  I  T   K  W  L   W  Y  I  K   I  F  I   M  I  V   G  G  L  V   G  L  R   I  V  F                 {circumflex over ( )}43f6,forward  {circumflex over ( )}2000,reverse            scfI                                                               avaI  bsaI 1101 GCTGTACTTT CTATAGTGAA TAGAGTTAGG CAGGGATACT CACCATTATC GTTTCAGACC CGCCTCCCAG CCCCGAGGAG ACCCGACAGG CCCGAAGGAA CGACATGAAA GATATCACTT ATCTCAATCC GTCCCTATGA GTGGTAATAG CAAAGTCTGC GCGGAGGGTC GGGGCTCCTC TGGGCTGTCC GGGCTTCCTT 701 A  V  L  S   I  V  N   R  V  R   Q  G  Y  S   P  L  S   F  Q  T   R  L  P  A   P  R  R   P  D  R   P  E  G  I                                        xcmI                                                               eco57I                                    bstYI/xhoII                                                          earI/ksp632I 201 TCGAAGAAGA AGGTGGAGAG CAAGGCAGAG ACAGATCCAT TCGCTTAGTG GATGGATTCT TAGCACTTAT CTGGGACGAC CTACGGAGCC TGTGCCTCTT AGCTTCTTCT TCCACCTCTC GTTCCGTCTC TGTCTAGGTA AGCGAATCAC CTACCTAAGA ATCGTGAATA GACCCTGCTG GATGCCTCGG ACACGGAGAA 735   E  E  E   G  G  E   Q  G  R  D   R  S  I   R  L  V   D  G  F  L   A  L  I   W  D  D   L  R  S  L   C  L  F                   {circumflex over ( )}r1,reverse                                                                                            sspI 301 CAGCTACCAC CGCTTGAGAG ACTTACTCTT GATTGCAACG AGGATTGTGG AACTTCTGGG ACGCAGGGGG TGGGAAGCCC TCAAATATTG GTGGAATCTC GTCGATGGTG GCGAACTCTC TGAATGAGAA CTAACGTTGC TCCTAACACC TTGAAGACCC TGCGTCCCCC ACCCTTCGGG AGTTTATAAC CACCTTAGAG 768  S  Y  H   R  L  R  D   L  L  L   I  A  T   R  I  V  E   L  L  G   R  R  G   W  E  A  L   K  Y  W   W  N  L scfI                                                                  alwNI 401 CTACAGTATT GGATTCAGGA ACTAAAGAAT AGTGCTGTTA GCTTGCTTAA TGTCACAGCC ATAGCAGTAG CTGAGGGGAC AGATAGGGTT TTAGAAGTAT GATGTCATAA CCTAAGTCCT TGATTTCTTA TCACGACAAT CGAACGAATT ACAGTGTCGG TATCGTCATC GACTCCCCTG TCTATCCCAA AATCTTCATA 801 L  Q  Y  W   I  Q  E   L  K  N   S  A  V  S   L  L  N   V  T  A   I  A  V  A   E  G  T   D  R  V   L  E  V  L 2501 TACAAAGAGC TTATAGAGCT ATTCTCCACA TACCTACAAG AATAAGACAG GGCTTGGAAA GGGCTTTGCT ATAA ATGTTTCTCG AATATCTCGA TAAGAGGTGT ATGGATGTTC TTATTCTGTC CCGAACCTTT CCCGAAACGA TATT 835   Q  R  A   Y  R  A   I  L  H  I   P  T  R   I  R  Q   G  L  E  R   A  L  L   O                                                     hgiCI                                                     banI                                     scfI                                                    bsp1286                                   pstI         earI/ksp632I                               bmyI         styI                scfI     bsgI 1 ATGAGAGTGA AGAGGATCAG GAGGAATTAT CAGCACTTGT GGAAATGGGG CACCATGCTC CTTGGGATGT TGATGATCTG TAGTGCTGCA GGAAAATTGT TACTCTCACT TCTCCTAGTC CTCCTTAATA GTCGTGAACA CCTTTACCCC GTGGTACGAG GAACCCTACA ACTACTAGAC ATCACGACGT CCTTTTAACA 1 M  R  V  K   R  I  R   R  N  Y   Q  H  L  W   K  W  G   T  M  L   L  G  M  L   M  I  C   S  A  A   G  K  L  W                     kpnI                     hgiCI                     banI                     asp718                     acc65I                                                        ndeI 101 GGGTCACAGT CTATTATGGG GTACCTGTGT GGAAAGAAAC AACCACCACT CTATTTTGTG CATCAGATGC TAAAGCATAT GATACAGAGA TACATAATGT CCCAGTGTCA GATAATACCC CATGGACACA CCTTTCTTTG TTGGTGGTGA GATAAAACAC GTAGTCTACG ATTTCGTATA CTATGTCTCT ATGTATTACA 35   V  T  V   Y  Y  G   V  P  V  W   K  E  T   T  T  T   L  F  C  A   S  D  A   K  A  Y   D  T  E  I   H  N  V                                                                                     nspI          nspI                                                                       nspHI          nspHI                                                             apoI     aflIII 201 TTGGGCCACA CATGCCTGTG TACCCACAGA CCCCAACCCA CAAGAAGTAG TATTGGAAAA TGTGACAGAA AATTTTAACA TGTGGAAAAA TAACATGGTG AACCCGGTGT GTACGGACAC ATGGGTGTCT GGGGTTGGGT GTTCTTCATC ATAACCTTTT ACACTGTCTT TTAAAATTGT ACACCTTTTT ATTGTACCAC 68  W  A  T   H  A  C  V   P  T  D   P  N  P   Q  E  V  V   L  E  N   V  T  E   N  F  N  M   W  K  N   N  M  V       ppu10I       nsiI/avaIII                                                        draIII         ahaIII/draI 301 GAACAGATGC ATGAGGATAT AATCAGTTTA TGGGATCAAA GTCTAAAGCC ATGTGTAAAA TTAACCCCAC TCTGTGTTAC TTTAAATTGC ACTGATGCGG CTTGTCTACG TACTCCTATA TTAGTCAAAT ACCCTAGTTT CAGATTTCGG TACACATTTT AATTGGGGTG AGACACAATG AAATTTAACG TGACTACGCC 101 E  Q  M  H   E  D  I   I  S  L   W  D  Q  S   L  K  P   C  V  K   L  T  P  L   C  V  T   L  N  C   T  D  A  G                                          gsuI/bpmI 401 GGAATACTAC TAATACCAAT AGTAGTAGCG GGGAAAAGCT GGAGAAAGGA GAAATAAAAA ACTGCTCTTT CAATATCACC ACAAGCATGA GAGATAAGAT CCTTATGATG ATTATGGTTA TCATCATCGC CCCTTTTCGA CCTCTTTCCT CTTTATTTTT TGACGAGAAA GTTATAGTGG TGTTCGTACT CTCTATTCTA 135   N  T  T   N  T  N   S  S  S  G   E  K  L   E  K  G   E  I  K  N   C  S  F   N  I  T   T  S  M  R   D  K  M                                                                       scaI         scaI     scfI 501 GCAGAGAGAA ACTGCACTTT TTAATAAACT TGATATAGTA CCAATAGATG ATGATGATAG GAATAGTACT AGGAATAGTA CTAACTATAG GTTGATAAGT CGTCTCTCTT TGACGTGAAA AATTATTTGA ACTATATCAT GGTTATCTAC TACTACTATC CTTATCATGA TCCTTATCAT GATTGATATC CAACTATTCA 168  Q  R  E   T  A  L  F   N  K  L   D  I  V   P  I  D  D   D  D  R   N  S  T   R  N  S  T   N  Y  R   L  I  S                         stuI                         haeI 601 TGTAACACCT CAGTCATTAC ACAGGCCTGT CCAAAGGTAT CATTTGAGCC AATTCCCATA CATTTCTGTA CCCCGGCTGG TTTTGCGCTT CTAAAGTGTA ACATTGTGGA GTCAGTAATG TGTCCGGACA GGTTTCCATA GTAAACTCGG TTAAGGGTAT GTAAAGACAT GGGGCCGACC AAAACGCGAA GATTTCACAT 201 C  N  T  S   V  I  T   Q  A  C   P  K  V  S   F  E  P   I  P  I   H  F  C  T   P  A  G   F  A  L   L  K  C  N      esp3I                                        scaI    bsp1407I        haeI 701 ATAATGAGAC GTTCAATGGA TCAGGACCAT GCAAAAATGT CAGCACAGTA CTATGTACAC ATGGAATTAG GCCAGTAGTA TCAACTCAAC TGCTGTTAAA TATTACTCTG CAAGTTACCT AGTCCTGGTA CGTTTTTACA GTCGTGTCAT GATACATGTG TACCTTAATC CGGTCATCAT AGTTGAGTTG ACGACAATTT 235   N  E  T   F  N  G   S  G  P  C   K  N  V   S  T  V   L  C  T  H   G  I  R   P  V  V   S  T  Q  L   L  L  N                                   bstYI/xhoII                  earI/ksp632I     bglII   apoI                                                         aseI/asnI/vspI 801 TGGCAGTCTA GCAGGAGAAG AGGTAGTAAT TAGATCTGAA AATTTCACGA ACAATGCTAA AACCATAATA GTACAGCTCA AAGAACCAGT AAAAATTAAT ACCGTCAGAT CGTCCTCTTC TCCATCATTA ATCTAGACTT TTAAAGTGCT TGTTACGATT TTGGTATTAT CATGTCGAGT TTCTTGGTCA TTTTTAATTA 268  G  S  L   A  G  E  E   V  V  I   R  S  E   N  F  T  N   N  A  K   T  I  I   V  Q  L  K   E  P  V   K  I  N                                   bst1107I bsp1407I                          accI  scfI 901 TGTACAAGAC CCAACAACAA TACAAGAAAA AGTATACCTA TAGGACCAGG GAGAGCATTT TATGCAACAG GCGACATAAT AGGAAATATA AGACAAGCAC ACATGTTCTG GGTTGTTGTT ATGTTCTTTT TCATATGGAT ATCCTGGTCC CTCTCGTAAA ATACGTTGTC CGCTGTATTA TCCTTTATAT TCTGTTCGTG 301 C  T  R  P   N  N  N   T  R  K   S  I  P  I   G  P  G   R  A  F   Y  A  T  G   D  I  I   G  N  I   R  Q  A  H                                                                                                             eco81I                                                                                                             bsu36I/mstII/sauI 1001 ATTGTAACCT TAGTAGAACA GACTGGAATA ACACTTTAAG ACAGATAGCT GAAAAATTAA GAAAACAATT TGGGAATAAA ACAATAATCT TTAATCACTC TAACATTGGA ATCATCTTGT CTGACCTTAT TGTGAAATTC TGTCTATCGA CTTTTTAATT CTTTTGTTAA ACCCTTATTT TGTTATTAGA AATTAGTGAG 335   C  N  L   S  R  T   D  W  N  N   T  L  R   Q  I  A   E  K  L  R   K  Q  F   G  N  K   T  I  I  F   N  H  S         ppuMI         eco0109I/draII                               apoI                       munI         scaI     bsmI 1101 CTCAGGAGGG GACCCAGAAA TTGTAATGCA CAGTTTTAAT TGTAGAGGGG AATTTTTCTA CTGTGATACA ACACAATTGT TTAACAGTAC TTGGAATGCA GAGTCCTCCC CTGGGTCTTT AACATTACGT GTCAAAATTA ACATCTCCCC TTAAAAAGAT GACACTATGT TGTGTTAACA AATTGTCATG AACCTTACGT 368  S  G  G   D  P  E  I   V  M  H   S  F  N   C  R  G  E   F  F  Y   C  D  T   T  Q  L  F   N  S  T   W  N  A                                                                                 nspI                                                                                 nspHI                                                                                 aflIII 1201 AATAACACTG AAAGGAATAG CACTAAAGAG AATAGCACAA TCACACTCCC ATGCAGAATA AAACAAATTG TAAACATGTG GCAGGAAGTA GGAAAAGCAA TTATTGTGAC TTTCCTTATC GTGATTTCTC TTATCGTGTT AGTGTGAGGG TACGTCTTAT TTTGTTTAAC ATTTGTACAC CGTCCTTCAT CCTTTTCCTT 401 N  N  T  E   R  N  S   T  K  E   N  S  T  I   T  L  P   C  R  I   K  Q  I  V   N  M  W   Q  E  V   G  K  A  M                                  mamI                                  bsaBI       sspI                                                       bsaI 1301 TGTATGCCCC TCCCATCAGA GGACAAATTA GATGTTCATC AAATATTACA GGGTTGCTAT TAACAAGAGA TGGAGGTAGT AGCAACAGCA TGAATGAGAC ACATACGGGG AGGGTAGTCT CCTGTTTAAT CTACAAGTAG TTTATAATGT CCCAACGATA ATTGTTCTCT ACCTCCATCA TCGTTGTCGT ACTTACTCTG 435   Y  A  P   P  I  R   G  Q  I  R   C  S  S   N  I  T   G  L  L  L   T  R  D   G  G  S   S  N  S  M   N  E  T         gsuI/bpmI eco57I ecoNI                     munI                                                                   styI 1401 CTTCAGACCT GGAGGAGGAG ATATGAGGGA CAATTGGAGA AGTGAATTAT ACAAATATAA AGTAGTAAAA ATTGAACCAT TAGGAGTAGC ACCCACCAAG GAAGTCTGGA CCTCCTCCTC TATACTCCCT GTTAACCTCT TCACTTAATA TCTTTATATT TCATCATTTT TAACTTGGTA ATCCTCATCG TGGGTGGTTC 468  F  R  P   G  G  G  D   M  R  D   N  W  R   S  E  L  Y   K  Y  K   V  V  K   I  E  P  L   G  V  A   P  T  K        earI/ksp632I                                          styI 1501 GCAATGAGAA GAGTGGTGCA GAGAGAAAAA AGAGCAGTGG GAATAGGAGC TGTGTTCCTT GGGTTCTTAG GAGCAGCAGG AAGCACTATG GGCGCAGCGT CGTTACTCTT CTCACCACGT CTCTCTTTTT TCTCGTCACC CTTATCCTCG ACACAAGGAA CCCAAGAATC CTCGTCGTCC TTCGTGATAC CCGCGTCGCA 501 A  M  R  R   V  V  Q   R  E  K   R  A  V  G   I  G  A   V  F  L   G  F  L  G   A  A  G   S  T  M   G  A  A  S                    haeI                                                                       alwNI 1601 CAATAACGCT GACGGTACAG GCCAGACTAT TATTGTCTGG TATAGTGCAA CAGCAGAACA ATTTGCTGAG GGCTATTGAG GCGCAACAGC ATCTGTTGCA GTTATTGCGA CTGCCATGTC CGGTCTGATA ATAACAGACC ATATCACGTT GTCGTCTTGT TAAACGACTC CCGATAACTC CGCGTTGTCG TAGACAACGT 535   I  T  L   T  V  Q   A  R  L  L   L  S  G   I  V  Q   Q  Q  N  N   L  L  R   A  I  E   A  Q  Q  H   L  L  Q                                                               eco81I         alwNI                            gsuI/bpmI                          bsu36I/mstII/sauI 1701 ACTCACAGTC TGGGGCATCA AGCAGCTCCA GGCAAGAGTC CTGGCTGTGG AAAGATACCT AAGGGATCAA CAGCTCCTGG GGATTTGGGG TTGCTCTGGA TGAGTGTCAG ACCCCGTAGT TCGTCGAGGT CCGTTCTCAG GACCGACACC TTTCTATGGA TTCCCTAGTT GTCGAGGACC CCTAAACCCC AACGAGACCT 568  L  T  V   W  G  I  K   Q  L  Q   A  R  V   L  A  V  E   R  Y  L   R  D  Q   Q  L  L  G   I  W  G   C  S  G                           styI bsmI                       xbaI 1801 AAACTCATTT GCACCACCTC TGTGCCTTGG AATGCTAGTT GGAGTAATAA ATCTCTAGAT AAGATTTGGG ATAACATGAC CTGGATGGAG TGGGAAAGAG TTTGAGTAAA CGTGGTGGAG ACACGGAACC TTACGATCAA CCTCATTATT TAGAGATCTA TTCTAAACCC TATTGTACTG GACCTACCTC ACCCTTTCTC 601 K  L  I  C   T  T  S   V  P  W   N  A  S  W   S  N  K   S  L  D   K  I  W  D   N  M  T   W  M  E   W  E  R  E                  hindIII 1901 AAATTGAGAA TTACACAAGC TTAATATACA CCTTAATTGA AGAATCGCAG AACCAACAAG AAAAGAATAA ACAAGACTTA TTGGAATTGG ATCAATAGGC TTTAACTCTT AATGTGTTCG AATTATATGT GGAATTAACT TCTTAGCGTC TTGGTTGTTC TTTTCTTATT TGTTCTGAAT AACCTTAACC TAGTTATCCG 635   I  E  N   Y  T  S   L  I  Y  T   L  I  E   E  S  Q   N  Q  Q  E   K  N  K   Q  D  L   L  E  L  D   Q  O  A                                                     sspI 2001 AAGTTTGTGG AATTGGTTTA GCATAACAAA ATGGCTGTGG TATATAAAAA TATTCATAAT GATAGTTGGA GGCTTGGTAG GTTTAAGAAT AGTTTTTGCT TTCAAACACC TTAACCAAAT CGTATTGTTT TACCGACACC ATATATTTTT ATAAGTATTA CTATCAACCT CCGAACCATC CAAATTCTTA TCAAAAACGA 668  S  L  W   N  W  F  S   I  T  K   W  L  W   Y  I  K  I   F  I  M   I  V  G   G  L  V  G   L  R  I   V  F  A                                                                                  ppuMI        scfI                                                               avaI   eco0109I/draII 2101 GTACTTTCTA TAGTGAATAG AGTTAGGCAG GGGTACTCAC CATTATCATT TCAGACCCGC CTCCCAGCCC CGAGGGGACC CCACAGGCCC AAAGGAATCG CATGAAAGAT ATCACTTATC TCAATCCGTC CCCATGAGTG GTAATAGTAA AGTCTGGGCG GAGGGTCGGG GCTCCCCTGG GCTGTCCGGG TTTCCTTAGC 701 V  L  S  I   V  N  R   V  R  Q   G  Y  S  P   L  S  F   Q  T  R   L  P  A  P   R  G  P   D  R  P   K  G  I  E                                     xcmI                                                               eco57I                                bstYI/xhoII                                                           earI/ksp632I 2201 AAGAAGAAGG TGGAGAGCAA GACAGGGACA GATCCATTCG CTTAGTGGAT GGATTCTTAG CACTTATCTG GGACGATCTA CGGAGCCTGT GCCTCTTCAG TTCTTCTTCC ACCTCTCGTT CTGTCCCTGT CTAGGTAAGC CAATCACCTA CCTAAGAATC GTGAATAGAC CCTGCTAGAT GCCTCGGACA CGGAGAAGTC 735   E  E  G   G  E  Q   D  R  D  R   S  I  R   L  V  D   G  F  L  A   L  I  W   D  D  L   R  S  L  C   L  F  S                                                                                         sspI              scfI 2301 CTACCACCGC TTGAGAGACT TACTCTTGAT TGCAACGAGG ATTGTGGAAC TTCTGGGACG CAGGGGGTGG GAAGCCCTCA AATATTGGTG GAATCTCCTA GATGGTGGCG AACTCTCTGA ATGAGAACTA ACGTTGCTCC TAACACCTTG AAGACCCTGC GTCCCCCACC CTTCGGGAGT TTATAACCAC CTTAGAGGAT 768  Y  H  R   L  R  D  L   L  L  I   A  T  R   I  V  E  L   L  G  R   R  G  W   E  A  L  K   Y  W  W   N  L  L                                                                    alwNI                      xbaI 2401 CAGTATTGGA TTCAGGAACT AAAGAATAGT GCTGTTAGCT TGCTTAATGT CACAGCCATA GCAGTAGCTG AGGGGACAGA TAGGGTTCTA GAAGCATTGC GTCATAACCT AAGTCCTTCA TTTCTTATCA CGACAATCGA ACGAATTACA GTGTCGGTAT CGTCATCGAC TCCCCTGTCT ATCCCAAGAT CTTCGTAACG 801 Q  Y  W  I   Q  E  L   K  N  S   A  V  S  L   L  N  V   T  A  I   A  V  A  E   G  T  D   R  V  L   E  A  L  Q 2501 AAAGAGCTTA TAGAGCTATT CTCCACATAC CTACAAGAAT AAGACAAGGC TTGGAAAGGG CTTTGCTATA A TTTCTCGAAT ATCTCGATAA GAGGTGTATG GATGTTCTTA TTCTGTTCCG AACCTTTCCC CAAACGATAT T 835   R  A  Y   R  A  I   L  H  I  P   T  R  I   R  Q  G   L  E  R  A   L  L  O Length: 2571

[0076] Table 3 illustrates the amino acid sequences for the MN, GNE₈, and GNE₁₆ gp120 proteins. The regions of the sequences having identical amino acid sequences are enclosed in boxes. TABLE 3

[0077] Nucleic acid sequences encoding gp120 from GNE₈ and GNE₁₆ capable of expressing gp120 can be prepared by conventional means. The nucleotide sequence can be synthesized. Alternatively, another HIV nucleic acid sequence encoding gp120 can be used as a backbone and altered at any differing residues by site directed mutagenesis as described in detail in Example 1.

[0078] In a preferred embodiment, the nucleotide sequence is present in an expression construct containing DNA encoding gp120 under the transcriptional and translational control of a promoter for expression of the encoded protein. The promoter can be a eukaryotic promoter for expression in a mammalian cell. In cases where one wishes to expand the promoter or produce gp120 in a prokaryotic host, the promoter can be a prokaryotic promoter. Usually a strong promoter is employed to provide high level transcription and expression.

[0079] The expression construct can be part of a vector capable of stable extrachromosomal maintenance in an appropriate cellular host or may be integrated into host genomes. Normally, markers are provided with the expression construct which allow for selection of a host containing the construct. The marker can be on the same or a different DNA molecule, desirably, the same DNA molecule.

[0080] The expression construct can be joined to a replication system recognized by the intended host cell. Various replication systems include viral replication systems such as retroviruses, simian virus, bovine papilloma virus, or the like. In addition, the construct may be joined to an amplifiable gene, e.g. DHFR gene, so that multiple copies of the gp120 DNA can be made. Introduction of the construct into the host will vary depending on the construct and can be achieved by any convenient means. A wide variety of prokaryotic and eukaryotic hosts can be employed for expression of the proteins.

[0081] Preferably, the gp120 is expressed in mammalian cells that provide the same glycosylation and disulfide bonds as in native gp120. Expression of gp120 and fragments of gp120 in mammalian cells as fusion proteins incorporating N-terminal sequences of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein D (gD-1) is described in Lasky, L. A. et al., 1986 (Neutralization of the AIDS retrovirus by antibodies to a recombinant envelope glycoprotein) Science 233: 209-212 and Haffar, O. K. et al., 1991 (The cytoplasmic tail of HIV-1 gp160 contains regions that associate with cellular membranes.) Virol. 180:439-441, respectively. A preferred method for expressing gp120 is described in Example 3. In the example, a heterologous signal sequence was used for convenient expression of the protein. However, the protein can also be expressed using the native signal sequence.

[0082] An isolated, purified GNE₈-gp120 and GNE₁₆-gp120 having the amino acid sequence illustrated in Tables 1-3 can be produced by conventional methods. For example, the proteins can be chemically synthesized. In a preferred embodiment, the proteins are expressed in mammalian cells using an expression construct of this invention. The expressed proteins can be purified by conventional means. A preferred purification procedure is described in Example 3.

gp120 Fragments

[0083] The present invention also provides gp120 fragments that are suitable for use in inducing antibodies for use in serotyping or in a vaccine formulation. A truncated gp120 sequence as used herein is a fragment of gp120 that is free from a portion of the intact gp120 sequence beginning at either the amino or carboxy terminus of gp120. A truncated gp120 sequence of this invention is free from the C5 domain. The C5 domain of gp120 is a major immunogenic site of the molecule. However, antibodies to the region do not neutralize virus. Therefore, elimination of this portion of gp120 from immunogens used to induce antibodies for serotyping is advantageous.

[0084] In another embodiment, the truncated gp120 sequence is additionally free from the carboxy terminus region through about amino acid residue 453 of the gp120 V5 domain. The portion of the V5 domain remaining in the sequence provides a convenient restriction site for preparation of expression constructs. However, a truncated gp120 sequence that is free from the entire gp120 V5 domain is also suitable for use in inducing antibodies.

[0085] In addition, portions of the carboxy terminus of gp120 can also be eliminated from the truncated gp120 sequence. The truncated gp120 sequence can additionally be free from the gp120 signal sequence. The truncated gp120 sequence can be free from the carboxy terminus through amino acid residue 111 of the gp120 C1 domain, eliminating most of the C1 domain but preserving a convenient restriction site. However, the portion of the C1 domain through the cysteine residue that forms a disulfide bond can additionally be removed, so that the truncated gp120 sequence is free from the carboxy terminus through amino acid residue 117 of the gp120 C1 domain. Alternatively, the truncated gp120 sequence can be free from the amino terminus of gp120 through residue 111 of the C1 domain, preserving the V2 disulfide bond. In a preferred embodiment, the truncated gp120 sequence is free from the amino terminus of gp120 through residue 111 of the C1 domain and residue 453 through the carboxy terminus of gp120.

[0086] The truncated gp120 sequences can be produced by recombinant engineering, as described previously. Conveniently, DNA encoding the truncated gp120 sequence is joined to a heterologous DNA sequence encoding a signal sequence.

Serotyping Method

[0087] The present invention also provides an improved serotyping method for HIV strains. The method comprises determining the serotypes of the V2, V3, and C4 domains of gp120.

[0088] HIV isolates can be serotyped by conventional immunoassay methods employing antibodies to the neutralizing epitopes in the V2, V3, and C4 domains for various strains of HIV. Preparation of the antibodies is described hereinbefore. The antibody affinity required for serotyping HIV using a particular immunoassay method does not differ from that required to detect other polypeptide analytes. The antibody composition can be polyclonal or monoclonal, preferably monoclonal.

[0089] A number of different types of immunoassays are well known using a variety of protocols and labels. The assay conditions and reagents may be any of a variety found in the prior art. The assay may be heterogeneous or homogeneous. Conveniently, an HIV isolate is adsorbed to a solid phase and detected with antibody specific for one strain of neutralizing epitope for each neutralizing epitope in the V2, V3, and C4 domain. Alternatively, supernatant or lysate from the cultured isolate which contains gp120 can be adsorbed to the solid phase. The virus or gp120 can be adsorbed by many well known non-specific binding methods. Alternatively, an anti-gp120 antibody, preferably directed to the carboxy terminus of gp120 can be used to affix gp120 to the solid phase. A gp120 capture antibody and sandwich ELISA assay for gp120 neutralizing epitopes is described by Moore, AIDS Res. Hum. Retroviruses 9:209-219 (1993). Binding between the antibodies and sample can be determined in a number of ways. Complex formation can be determined by use of soluble antibodies specific for the anti-gp120 antibody. The soluble antibodies can be labeled directly or can be detected using labeled second antibodies specific for the species of the soluble antibodies. Various labels include radionuclides, enzymes, fluorescers, colloidal metals or the like. Conveniently, the anti-gp120 antibodies will be labeled directly, conveniently with an enzyme.

[0090] Alternatively, other methods for determining the neutralizing epitopes can be used. For example, fluorescent-labeled antibodies for a neutralizing epitope can be combined with cells infected by the strain of HIV to be serotyped and analyzed by fluorescence activated cell sorting.

[0091] The serotype of the HIV isolate includes the strain of the neutralizing epitopes for the V2, V3, and C4 domains.

[0092] It is understood that the application of the teachings of the present invention to a specific problem or situation will be within the capabilities of one having ordinary skill in the art in light of the teachings contained herein. Examples of the products of the present invention and representative processes for their isolation, use, and manufacture appear below, but should not be construed to limit the invention. All literature citations herein are expressly incorporated by reference.

EXAMPLE 1 Identification of C4 Neutralizing Epitopes

[0093] The following reagents and methods were used in the studies described herein.

[0094] gp120 Sequences and Nomenclature

[0095] Amino acid residues are designated using the standard single letter code. The location of amino acids within the gp120 protein is specified using the initiator methionine residue as position 1. The designation LAI is used to describe the virus isolate from which the HIV-1_(BH10), HIV-1_(IIIB), HIV-1_(BRU), HIV-1_(HXB2), HIV-1_(HXB3) and HIV-1_(HXB10) substrains (molecular clones) of HIV-1 were obtained. The sequence of gp120 from IIIB substrain of HIV-1_(LAI) is that determined by Muesing et al. (30).

[0096] The sequence of gp120 from MN strain of HIV-1 is given with reference to the MNgp120 clone (MN_(GNE)). The sequence of this clone differs by approximately 2% from that of the MN₁₉₈₄ clone described by Gurgo et al. (13). The sequences of gp120 from the NY-5, JRcsf, Z6, Z321, and HXB2 strains of HIV-1 are those listed by Myers et al. (32) except where noted otherwise. The sequence of the Thai isolate A244 is that provided by McCutchan et al. (24). The variable (V) domains and conserved (C) domains of gp120 are specified according to the nomenclature of Modrow et al. (28).

[0097] Monoclonal Antibody Production and Screening Assays

[0098] Hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies to MN-rgp120 (recombinantly produced gp120 from the MN strain of HIV) (3) were prepared and screened for CD4 blocking activity as described previously (7, 33). The binding of monoclonal antibodies to MN-rgp120 and to rgp120s from the IIIB, NY-5, Z6, Z321, JRcsf, and A244 strains of HIV-1 was assessed by enzyme linked immunoadsorbant assays (ELISA) as described previously (33).

[0099] Virus Binding and Neutralization Assays

[0100] The ability of monoclonal antibodies to neutralize HIV-1 infectivity in vitro was assessed in a colorimetric MT-2 cell cytotoxicity assay similar to that described previously (35). MT-2 cells and H9/HTLV-III_(MN) cells were obtained through the AIDS Research and Reference Reagent Program, Division of AIDS, NIAID, NIH: contributed by Drs. Douglas Richman and Robert Gallo, respectively. Briefly, serial dilutions of antibody or serum were prepared in 50 μl volumes of complete and then 50 μl of a prediluted HIV-1 stock was added to each well. After incubation for 1 hr at 4° C., 100 μl of a 4×10⁵ MT-2 cell/ml suspension was added. After incubation of the plates for 5 days at 37° C. in 5% CO₂, viable cells were measured using metabolic conversion of the formazan MTT dye. Each well received 20 μl of a 5 mg/ml MTT solution in PBS.

[0101] After a 4 hr incubation at 37° C., the dye precipitate was dissolved by removing 100 μl of the cell supernatant, adding 130 μl of 10% Triton X-100 in acid isopropanol, then pipeting until the precipitate was dissolved. The optical density of the wells was determined at 540 nm. The percentage inhibition was calculated using the formula: $\frac{1 - \left( {{{virus}\quad {control}} - {experimental}} \right)}{\left( {{{virus}\quad {control}} - {{medium}\quad {control}}} \right)}$

[0102] Cell Surface Staining of HIV-1 Infected Cells with Monoclonal Antibodies

[0103] H9 cells (2×10⁵) chronically infected with the IIIB, HXB2, HXB3, and HX10 substrains of HIV-1_(LAI) or with HIV-1_(MN) were incubated for 30 min at room temperature with monoclonal antibodies (10 μg per ml) in 100 μl of RPMI 1640 cell culture media containing 1% FCS. Cells were washed and then incubated with 20 μg per ml of fluorescein-conjugated, affinity-purified, goat antibody to mouse IgG (Fab′)₂ (Cappel, West Chester, Pa.) for 30 min. Cells were washed, fixed with 1% paraformaldehyde and the bound antibody was quantitated by flow cytometry using a FACSCAN (Becton-Dickenson, Fullerton, Calif.).

[0104] Fluorescence data was expressed as percentage of fluorescent cells compared to the fluorescence obtained with the second antibody alone. Fluorescence was measured as the mean intensity of the cells expressed as mean channel number plotted on a log scale.

[0105] Fragmentation of the MN-rgp120 Gene

[0106] Fragments of the MN-rgp120 gene were generated using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (17). Briefly, forward 30-mer oligonucleotide DNA primers incorporating a Xho 1 site, and reverse 36-mer oligonucleotide DNA primers containing a stop codon followed by a Xba 1 site were synthesized and used for the polymerase chain reactions. Thirty cycles of the PCR reaction were performed using 0.3 μg of a plasmid containing the gene for gp120 from the MN strain of HIV-1 (pRKMN. D533) and 0.04 nM of a designated primers. The PCR reaction buffer consisted of 0.1 M Tris buffer (pH 8.4), 50 mM KCl, 0.2 mM 4dNTP (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.), 0.15 M MgCl₂ and 0.5 Unit of Taq Polymerase (Perkin-Elmer Cetus, Norwalk, Conn.) and a typical PCR cycle consisted of a 60 second denaturation step at 94° C., followed by a 45 second annealing step at 55° C., and then an extension step at 72° C. for 45 seconds.

[0107] Following the PCR amplification, the PCR products were purified by phenol and chloroform extraction, and then ethanol precipitated. The purified products were then digested with the restriction endonucleases Xho1 and Xba1. The resulting PCR products were gel purified using 1% agarose (SEAKEM, FMC Bioproducts, Rockland, Me.) or 5% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and then isolated by electroelution.

[0108] Site Directed Mutagenesis of the MN-rgp120 C4 Domain

[0109] A recombinant PCR technique (15) was utilized to introduce single amino acid substitutions at selected sites into a 600 bp Bgl II fragment of MN-rgp120 that contained the C4 domain. This method entailed the PCR amplification of overlapping regions of the C4 domain of gp120 using primers that incorporated the desired nucleotide changes. The resultant PCR products were then annealed and PCR amplified to generate the final product. For these reactions 18-mer “outside” primers encoding the wild type sequence (Bgl II sites) were amplified with 36-mer “inside” primers that contained the alanine or glutamic acid residue changes. The first PCR reaction included 1X of the Vent polymerase buffer (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.), 0.2 mM of 4dNTP (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.), 0.04 nM of each synthetic oligonucleotide, 0.3 μg of linearized plasmid, pRKMN.D533, which contained the MN-rgp120 gene. Thirty PCR cycles were performed consisting of the following sequence of steps: 45 seconds of denaturation at 94° C., 45 second of annealing at 55° C. and 45 seconds of extension at 72° C. Following PCR amplification, the product pairs were gel purified using a 1% solution of low melt agarose (SeaPlaque, FMC Bioproducts, Rockland, Me.).

[0110] The agarose containing PCR product was melted at 65° C. and combined with the PCR product of the overlapping pair and equilibrated to 37° C. Added to this (20 μl) was 10 μl of 10X Vent Polymerase buffer, 10 μl of 2 mM 4dNTP, 0.04 nM each of the “outside” wild type 18 mer oligonucleotides, 57 μl of H₂O and 1 unit of Vent Polymerase. Thirty PCR cycles were performed as previously above.

[0111] The resulting PCR products were purified and digested with the Bgl II endonuclease. The digested PCR product was then ligated into the mammalian cell expression vector pRKMN.D533, which had been digested with Bgl II allowing for the removal of a 600 bp fragment. Colonies containing the correct insertion were identified and Sequenase 2.0 supercoil sequencing was employed to check for fidelity and the incorporation of the desired mutation.

[0112] Expression of gp120 Fragments in Mammalian Cells

[0113] Fragments of the MN and IIIB gp120 were expressed in mammalian cells as fusion proteins incorporating N-terminal sequences of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein D (gD-1) as described previously (14, 22). Briefly, isolated DNA fragments generated by the PCR reaction were ligated into a plasmid (pRK.gD-1) designed to fuse the gp120 fragments, in frame, to the 5′ sequences of the glycoprotein D (gD) gene of Type 1 Herpes Simplex Virus (gD-1) and the 3′ end to translational stop codons. The fragment of the gD-1 gene encoded the signal sequence and 25 amino acids of the mature form of HSV-1 protein. To allow for expression in mammalian cells, chimeric genes fragments were cloned into the pRK5 expression plasmid (8) that contained a polylinker with cloning sites and translational stop codons located between a cytomegalovirus promotor and a simian virus 40 virus polyadenylation site.

[0114] The resulting plasmids were transfected into the 293s embryonic human kidney cell line (12) using a calcium phosphate technique (11). Growth conditioned cell culture media was collected 48 hr after transfection, and the soluble proteins were detected by ELISA or by specific radioimmunoprecipitation where metabolically labeled proteins from cell culture supernatants were resolved by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and visualized by autoradiography as described previously (1, 18).

[0115] Radioimmunoprecipitation of MN-rgp120 Mutants

[0116] Plasmids directing the expression of the MN-rgp120 C4 domain mutants were transfected into 293s cells as described above. Twenty four hours following the transfection, the cells were metabolically labeled with [³⁵S]-labeled methionine or cysteine as described previously (1). The labeled cell culture supernatants were then harvested and 0.5 ml aliquots were reacted with 1-5 μg of the monoclonal antibody or with 2 μl of the polyclonal rabbit antisera to MN-rgp120 and immunoprecipitated with Pansorbin (CalBiochem, La Jolla, Calif.) as described previously (1). The resulting Pansorbin complex was pelleted by centrifugation, washed twice with a solution containing PBS, 1% NP-40 and 0.05% SDS and then boiled in a PAGE sample buffer containing 1% 2-mercaptoethanol. The processed samples were the analyzed by SDS-PAGE and visualized by autoradiography (1, 18).

[0117] Assays to Measure the Binding of Monoclonal Antibodies to Mutagenized MN-rgp120 Polypeptides

[0118] An ELISA was developed to screen for reactivity of MN-rgp120 fragments and mutant proteins with various monoclonal antibodies. In this assay, 96 well microtiter dishes (Maxisorp, Nunc, Roskilde, Denmark) were coated overnight with mouse monoclonal antibody (5B6) to gD-1, at a concentration of 2.0 μg/ml in phosphate buffered saline (PBS). The plates were blocked in a PBS solution containing 0.5% bovine serum albumin (PBSA) and then incubated with growth conditioned cell culture medium from transfected cells expressing the recombinant gp120 variants for 2 hr at room temperature. The plates were washed three times in PBS containing 0.05% Tween 20 and then incubated with the purified, HRPO-conjugated monoclonal antibodies. Following a 1 hr incubation, the plates were washed three times and developed with the calorimetric substrate, o-phenylenediamine (Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.).

[0119] The optical densities in each well were then read in a microtiter plate reading spectrophotometer at 492 nm. Each cell culture supernatant containing fragments or mutated rgp120s was normalized for expression based on the titering of its reactivity to the V3 binding monoclonal antibody 1034 or to a rabbit polyclonal antisera to MN-rgp120. Data from these experiments were expressed as a ratio of the optical densities obtained with the CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies binding to the fragments or MN-rgp120 mutants compared with the full length wild type rgp120s.

[0120] To normalize for different concentrations of MN-rgp120-derived protein in the cell culture supernatants, the binding of the CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies to each preparation was compared to that of an HRPO-conjugated monoclonal antibody to the V3 domain of MN-rgp120 (1034). Data from these experiments were expressed as a ratio of the optical densities obtained with the CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies to the HRPO conjugated V3 reactive monoclonal antibody.

[0121] CD4 Binding Assays

[0122] The ability of monoclonal antibodies to inhibit the binding of MN-rgp120 to recombinant soluble CD4 (rsCD4) was determined in a solid phase radioimmunoassay similar to that described previously (33). The effect of single amino acid substitutions on the binding of MN-rgp120 mutants to CD4 was determined in a co-immunoprecipitation assay similar to that described previously (21). Briefly, 293 cells were metabolically labeled with ³⁵S-methionine 24 hr after transfection with plasmids expressing MN-rgp120 variants. Growth conditioned cell culture medium (0.5 ml) was then incubated with 5.0 μg of recombinant sCD4 for 90 minutes at room temperature. Following this incubation, 5.0 μg of an anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody (465), known to bind to an epitope remote from the gp120 binding site, was added and allowed to incubate another 90 minutes at room temperature.

[0123] The gp120-CD4-antibody complexes were precipitated with Pansorbin that had been washed with PBS, preabsorbed with 0.1% bovine serum albumin and then bound with 50 μg of an affinity purified rabbit anti-mouse IgG (Cappel, West Chester, Pa.). The pellet was washed twice with PBS 1% NP-40, 0.05% SDS, and then boiled in beta mercaptoethanol containing SDS-PAGE sample buffer. The immunoprecipitation products were resolved by SDS PAGE and visualized by autoradiography as described previously (1, 21).

[0124] Antibody Affinity Measurements

[0125] Anti-gp120 antibodies were iodinated with Na ¹²⁵I with iodogen (Pierce, Rockford, Ill.). Briefly, 50 μg of antibody in PBS was placed in 1.5 ml polypropylene microcentrifuge tubes coated with 50 μg of Iodogen. Two millicuries of carrier free Na[¹²⁵I] was added. After 15 min., free ¹²⁵I was separated from the labeled protein by chromatography on a PD-10 column (Pierce, Rockford, Ill.) pre-equilibrated in PBS containing 0.5% gelatin. Antibody concentrations following iodination were determined by ELISA to calculate specific activities.

[0126] For binding assays, 96-well microtiter plates were coated with 100 μg/well of a 10 μg/ml solution of MN-rgp120 or IIIBrgp120 in 0.1 M bicarbonate buffer, pH 9.6 and incubated for 2 hr at room temperature or overnight at 4° C. To prevent non-specific binding, plates were blocked for 1-2 hr at room temperature with 200 μl/well of a gelatin solution consisting of PBS containing 0.5% (wt/vol) gelatin and 0.02% sodium azide. Unlabeled anti-gp120 monoclonal antibody (0 to 400 nM) was titrated (in duplicate) in situ and radiolabeled antibody was added to each well at a concentration of 0.5 nM.

[0127] After a 1-2 hr incubation at room temperature, the plate was washed 10× with the PBS/0.5% gelatin/0.02% azide buffer to remove free antibody. The antibody-gp120 complexes were solubilized with 0.1 N NaOH/0.1% SDS solution and counted in a gamma counter. The data were analyzed by the method of Scatchard (40) using the Ligand analytical software program (31). K_(d) values reported represent the means of four independent determinations.

Results

[0128] Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies to MN-rgp120 That Block CD4 Binding

[0129] Monoclonal antibodies prepared from mice immunized with MN-rgp120 (3, 33), were screened for the ability to bind to MN-rgp120 coated microtiter dishes by ELISA as described previously (33). Of the thirty five clones obtained, seven were identified (1024, 1093, 1096, 1097, 1110, 1112, and 1127) that were able to inhibit the binding of MN-rgp120 to recombinant CD4 in ELISA (FIG. 1) or solid phase or cell surface radioimmunoassays (21, 33). Previous studies have shown that two distinct classes of CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies occur: those that bind to conformation dependent (discontinuous) epitopes (16, 26, 33, 35, 45) and those that bind to conformation independent (sequential) epitopes (4, 7, 21, 33, 43).

[0130] To distinguish between these two alternatives, the binding of the monoclonal antibodies to denatured (reduced and carboxymethylated) MN-rgp120 (RCM-gp120) was measured by ELISA as described previously (33). As illustrated in Table 4, below, it was found that all of the CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies reacted with the chemically denatured protein; indicating that they all recognized conformation independent (sequential) epitopes. TABLE 4 Properties of monoclonal antibodies to MN-rgp120 HIV-1 CD4 mn C4 rg120 Inhi- Neutral- HIV-1 mn CM- Domain cross MAb bitors ization V3 rgp120 peptides reactivity 1024 + + − + − 2 1093 + + − + − 2 1096 + + − + − 2 1097 + + − + − 2 1110 + + − + − 2 1112 + + − + − 2 1127 + + − + − 2 1026 − + + + − 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 1092 − − − + − 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 1126 − − − + − 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 1086 − − − + − 2 13H8 + − − + 1, 3 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

[0131] The cross reactivity of these monoclonal antibodies was assessed by ELISA as described previously (33). In these experiments, the ability of the monoclonal antibodies to bind to a panel of seven rgp120s, prepared from the IIIB, MN, Z6, Z321, NY-5, A244, and JRcsf isolates of HIV-1, was measured by ELISA (33). It was found that all of the CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies were strain specific and bound only to gp120 from the MN strain of HIV-1 (Table 4). However, other antibodies from the same fusion (1026,1092, and 1126) exhibited much broader cross reactivity (Table 4, FIG. 2), as did a CD4 blocking monoclonal antibody to IIIB-rgp120 (13H8) described previously (33).

[0132] Further studies were performed to characterize the neutralizing activity of the antibodies to MN-rgp120. In these studies, monoclonal antibodies were incubated with cell free virus (HIV-1_(MN)), and the resulting mixture was then used to infect MT-2 cells in microtiter plates. After 5 days, the plates were developed by addition of the calorimetric dye, MTT, and cell viability was measured spectrophotometrically. It was found (Table 4, FIG. 2) that all of the CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies were able to inhibit viral infectivity. However the potency of the monoclonal antibodies varied considerably with some monoclonal antibodies (e.g. 1024) able to inhibit infection at very low concentrations (IC₅₀ of 0.08 μg per ml) whereas other monoclonal antibodies (e.g. 1112) required much higher concentrations (IC₅₀ of 30 μg per ml). In control experiments two monoclonal antibodies to MN-rgp120 from the same fusion (e.g. 1086,1092) were ineffective, whereas the 1026 monoclonal antibody exhibited potent neutralizing activity. Similarly, monoclonal antibodies to the V3 domain of IIIB-rgp120 (10F6, 11G5) known to neutralize the infectivity HIV-1_(IIIB) (33), were unable to neutralize the HIV-1_(MN) virus.

[0133] Binding studies using synthetic peptides were then performed to further localize the epitopes recognized by these monoclonal antibodies as described previously (33). When a peptide corresponding to the V3 domain (3) of MN-rgp120 was tested, it was found that none of the CD4 blocking antibodies showed any reactivity. However the epitope recognized by the non-CD4 blocking monoclonal antibody, 1026, prepared against MN-rgp120 could be localized to the V3 domain by virtue of its binding to this peptide. In other experiments, three synthetic peptides from the C4 domain of gp120 that incorporated sequences recognized by the CD4 blocking, weakly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies described by McKeating et al. (26) were tested (Table 4). It was found that none of the CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies to MN-rgp120 reacted with these peptides, however the non-neutralizing, CD4 blocking 13H8 monoclonal antibody bound to the peptides corresponding to residues 423-440 of IIIB-gp120 and residues 431-441 of MN-gp120, but not to that corresponding to residues 426-437 of IIIB-gp120. Thus the 13H8 monoclonal antibody recognized a epitope that was similar, if not identical, to that described by McKeating et al. (26). This result is consistent with the observation that the 13H8 monoclonal antibody and the monoclonal antibodies described by Cordell et al. (4) and McKeating et al. (26) exhibited considerable cross reactivity, whereas the antibodies to MN-rgp120 were highly strain specific.

[0134] CD4 Blocking Antibodies Recognize Epitopes in the C4 Domain

[0135] Previously, a strain specific, CD4 blocking monoclonal antibody (5C2) raised against IIIB-rgp120 was found to recognize an epitope in the C4 domain of IIIB-rgp120 (21, 33). Although the 5C2 monoclonal antibody was able to block the binding of rgp120 to CD4, it was unable to neutralize HIV-1 infectivity in vitro (7). Affinity columns prepared from 5C2 adsorbed an 11 amino acid peptide (residues 422 to 432) from a tryptic digest of gp120 (21), however monoclonal antibody 5C2 was unable to recognize this peptide coated onto wells of microtiter dishes in an ELISA format (Nakamura et al., unpublished results).

[0136] To determine whether the CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies raised against MN-rgp120 recognized the corresponding epitope in the C4 domain of MN-rgp120, a series of overlapping fragments, spanning the V4 and C4 domains of HIV-1_(MN) gp120, were prepared for expression in mammalian cells. A diagram of the fragments expressed is shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. The C4 domain fragments were expressed as fusion proteins that incorporated the signal sequence and amino terminal 25 amino acids of HSV-1 glycoprotein D as described above.

[0137] Plasmids directing the expression of the chimeric C4 domain fragments were transfected into 293 cells, and their expression was monitored by radioimmunoprecipitation studies where a monoclonal antibody, 5B6, specific for the mature amino terminus of glycoprotein D was utilized. It was found (FIG. 3B) that all of the fragments were expressed and exhibited mobilities on SDS-PAGE gels appropriate for their size. Thus fMN.368-408 (lane 1) exhibited a mobility of 19 kD; fMN.368-451 (lane 2) exhibited a mobility of 29 kD; fMN.419-433 (lane 3) exhibited a mobility of 6 kD, and fMN.414-451 (lane 4) exhibited a mobility of 6.1 kD.

[0138] The binding of monoclonal antibody 1024 to the recombinant fragments was then determined by ELISA (as described in Example 1). It was found (FIG. 3A) that monoclonal antibody 1024 reacted with the fragments that contained the entire C4 domain of MN-rgp120 (fMN₃₆₈₋₄₅₁, fMN₄₀₄₋₄₅₅), but failed to bind to a fragment derived from the adjacent V4 domain (fMN₃₆₈₋₄₀₈) or to another fragment that contained V4 domain sequences and the amino terminal half of the C4 domain (fMN₃₆₈₋₄₂₈). The fact that 1024 bound to the fMN₄₁₄₋₄₅₁ and fMN₄₁₉₋₄₄₃ fragments demonstrated that the epitopes recognized by all of these monoclonal antibodies were contained entirely between residues 419 and 443 in the C4 domain.

[0139] Residues Recognized by Monoclonal Antibodies That Block Binding of MN-rgp120 to CD4

[0140] To identify specific amino acid residues that might be part of the epitopes recognized by these monoclonal antibodies, the sequence of the C4 domain of MN-rgp120 was compared to those of the gp120s from the six other rgp120s that failed to react with the CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies (FIG. 4). It was noted that the sequence of MN-rgp120 was unique in that K occurred at position 429 whereas the other rgp120s possessed either E,G, or R at this position. Another difference was noted at position 440 where E replaced K or S. To evaluate the significance of these substitutions, a series of point mutations were introduced into the MN-rgp120 gene (FIG. 5). Plasmids expressing the mutant proteins were transfected into 293s cells, and expression was verified by radioimmunoprecipitation with a monoclonal antibody (1034) directed to the V3 domain of MN-rgp120. Cell culture supernatants were harvested and used for the monoclonal antibody binding studies shown in Table 6. To verify expression, radio-immunoprecipitation studies using cell culture supernatants from cells metabolically labeled with [³⁵]S-methionine were performed using the 1024 monoclonal antibody specific for the C4 domain of MN-rgp120 (A) or the 1034 monoclonal antibody specific for the V3 domain of MN-rgp120. Immune complexes were precipitated with the use of fixed S. aureus and the adsorbed proteins were resolved by SDS-PAGE. Proteins were visualized by autoradiography. The samples were: Lane 1, MN.419A; lane 2 MN.421A; lane 3 MN.429E; lane 4, MN.429A; lane 5, MN.432A; lane 6, MN.440A; lane 7, MN-rgp120. The immunoprecipitation study showed that 1024 antibody binds well to all the variants except 3 and 4 which are mutated at residue 429. 1034 antibody was used as a control and precipitates with anti-V3 antibodies.

[0141] The effect of these mutations on the binding of the CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies was then evaluated by ELISA as illustrated in Table 5, below. TABLE 5 Binding of CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies to C4 domain mutants Proteins/ MAbs 1024 1093 1096 1097 1110 1112 1127 5C2 MN-rgp120 1.0  1.0  1.0  1.0  1.0  1.0  1.0  0.05 MN-419A 1.11 1.10 0.94 1.21 0.78 0.95 1.10 ND MN-421A 1.11 1.60 0.88 1.42 1.34 0.91 1.10 ND MN-429E 0.03 0.07 0.11 0.04 0.10 0.10 0.02 ND MN-429A 0.10 0.07 0.14 0.04 0.09 0.11 0.05 ND MN-432A 0.77 0.15 0.59 0.08 0.12 0.24 0.26 ND MN-440A 1.06 1.13 1.08 0.87 1.12 1.0  1.3  ND IIIB-rgp120 0.03 ND ND ND ND ND ND 1.0  MN-423F ND ND ND ND ND ND ND 0.45 MN-423F, ND ND ND ND ND ND ND 1.09 429E

[0142]

[0143] It was found that replacement of K₄₄₀ with an A residue (MN.440A) had no effect on the binding of the 1024 monoclonal antibody or any of the other CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies (Table 5). The significance of K at position 429 was then evaluated by substitution of either A (MN.429A) or E (MN.429E) at this location. It was found that the A for K substitution at position 429 (MN.420A) markedly reduced the binding of the 1024 monoclonal antibody and all of the other CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies (Table 5). Similarly, the replacement of E for K (MN.429E) at this position totally abrogated the binding of the 1024 monoclonal antibody and all of the other CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies (Table 5). Several other mutants were constructed to evaluate the role of positively charged residues in the C4 domain. It was found that A for K substitutions at positions 419 (MN.419A) and 421(MN.421A) failed to interfere with the binding of any of the CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies as illustrated in Table 6, below. TABLE 6 Correlation Between Antibody Binding Affinity and Virus Neutralizing Activity MAb Block K_(d), nM^(c) IC₅₀, nM^(d) 1024^(c) + 2.7 ± 0.9   0.4 1086^(e,f) − 9.7 ± 2.2 — 1093^(c) + 9.9 ± 2.6   3.3 1096^(c) + 10 ± 6   12 1097^(c) + 13.4 ± 3.7   12 1110^(c) + 12.1 ± 1.7   12 1112^(c) +  20 ± 4.4 200 1127^(c) + 9.3 ± 4    3.3 1086^(e,f) − 9.7 ± 2.2 — 13H8^(f,g)  +^(b) 22 ± 6  —

[0144] However, when K at position 432 was replaced with A (MN432.A), the binding of all of the CD4 blocking antibodies was markedly reduced (Table 5). Interestingly, the binding of monoclonal antibody 1024 appeared less affected by this substitution than the other monoclonal antibodies (Table 5). Thus, these studies demonstrated that K₄₂₉ and K₄₃₂ were critical for the binding of all of the CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies, and that K₄₁₉, K₄₂₁, and K₄₄₀ did not appear to play a role in monoclonal antibody binding.

[0145] Amino Acids Recognized Monoclonal Antibodies That Block Binding of IIIB-rgp120 to CD4

[0146] The identification of residues 429 and 432 as being part of the epitope recognized by the MN-rgp120 specific CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies was particularly interesting since this region was previously found to be implicated in the binding of the 5C2 monoclonal antibody (21). The properties of the 1024 like-monoclonal antibodies and the 5C2 monoclonal antibody differed from the C4 reactive monoclonal antibodies described by other investigators (4, 43) in that the former appeared strain specific and the latter were broadly cross reactive. To account for the strain specificity of these monoclonal antibodies, the sequence of the eleven amino acid peptide of IIIB-rgp120 recognized by monoclonal antibody 5C2 was compared to the corresponding sequence of MN-rgp120. It was found that the IIIB protein differed from the MNB protein at positions 429 where K replaced E and at position 423 where I replaced F (FIG. 5). Because it was known from previous studies (33) that the 5C2 monoclonal antibody was unable to bind to gp120 from two strains (i.e., NY-5 and JRcsf) that also possessed E at position 423, it seemed unlikely that this position could account for the strain specificity of 5C2. Sequence comparison (FIG. 5) also showed that gp120 from HIV-1_(IIIB) was unique in that a phenylalanine residue occurred at position 423 whereas the other six strains examined possess an I at this position.

[0147] To determine whether residues 423 and/or 429 could account for the type specificity of the 5C2 monoclonal antibody, a mutant of MN-rgp120 was constructed which incorporated an F for I replacement at position 423 (MN.423F). In addition, the MN-rgp120 mutant, MN.429E (described above) was further mutagenized to incorporate a F for I substitution at position 423 (MN.423F), thus resulting in a double mutant (MN.423F,429E) whose sequence was identical to that of IIIB-rgp120 within the 10 amino acid 5C2 epitope (FIG. 4). The expression of these mutants in 293s cells was verified by radioimmunoprecipitation using rabbit polyclonal antisera to MN-rgp120. When the binding of the 13H8 monoclonal antibody to a set of mutants incorporating substitutions at position 423 and 429 was examined, it was found that none of the replacements effected the binding of this antibody (data not shown). When the 5C2 monoclonal antibody was examined, it was found that the F for I replacement (MN.423 F) conferred partial reactivity (Table 5). When the double mutant (MN.423F,429E), containing the F for I substitution as well as the E for K substitution was tested, binding that was indistinguishable from that to IIIB-rgp120 was observed (Table 5). These results demonstrated that F at position 423 and E at position 429 both play a role in binding of the 5C2 monoclonal antibody, and suggest that the strain specificity of 5C2 can be attributed to the residues at these positions.

[0148] Examination of the sequences of gp120 from the various clones of LAI that have been analyzed revealed that several substrains of LAI differed from each other in the C4 domain. Thus the sequences of the IIIB (30), Bru (46), and HXB3 (6) clones of LAI were identical at positions 423 and 429 where F and E residues occurred respectively. However, the sequence of the HXB2 substrain (36) differed from the others at these positions where, like MN-rgp120, K replaced E and at position 423 where I replaced F (FIG. 5). Similarly, the HX10 and BH10 substrains (36, 37) differed only at position 423 where, like HIV-1_(MN), I replaced F. Based on the mutagenesis experiments above, it would be predicted that monoclonal antibody 1024 should be able to bind to gp120 from the HXB2 substrain of LAI, but not the HXB3 substrain. If I₄₂₃ was important for binding, then 1024 should also bind the HX10 substrain.

[0149] To test this hypothesis, the binding of monoclonal antibody 1024 to the surface cells infected with either IIIB, HXB2, HXB3, and HX10 substrains of HIV-1_(LAI) was measured by flow cytometry. It was found that monoclonal antibody 1024 was able to bind only HXB2 providing further confirmation that residues 423 and 429 were important for the binding of this antibody. The fact that monoclonal antibody 1024 did not bind to HX10 infected cells suggested that I₄₂₃ was not important for the binding of this monoclonal antibody. Thus these studies demonstrate that reactivity with the 1024 monoclonal antibody segregates with the occurrence of F and E residues at positions 423 and 429, respectively, and shows that substrains of HIV-1_(LAI) differ from one another at a functionally significant epitope in the C4 domain.

[0150] Neutralizing Activity of CD4 Blocking Antibodies Correlates with Their Binding Affinity

[0151] To account for the difference in virus neutralizing activity between the CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies, their gp120 binding affinities were determined by competitive binding of [¹²⁵I]-labeled monoclonal antibody to rgp120 (Table 6). Typical Scatchard analysis of data from these assays is shown in FIGS. 7 (A to C). Linear, one-site binding kinetics were observed for all the monoclonal antibodies to MN-rgp120, suggesting that only a single class of sites was recognized, and that there was no cooperativity between two combining sites of each immunoglobulin molecule. It was found (FIG. 7A, Table 6) that monoclonal antibody 1024, which exhibited the most potent virus neutralizing activity (IC₅₀ of 0.08 μg per ml), possessed the lowest K_(d) (2.7 nM). In contrast (FIG. 7C, Table 6), monoclonal antibody 1112, the antibody that exhibited the weakest virus neutralizing activity (IC₅₀ of 30 μg per ml) possessed the highest K_(d) (20 nM). K_(d)s for six additional CD4-blocking monoclonal antibodies raised against MN-rgp120 were also determined (Table 6). It was found that monoclonal antibodies that possessed intermediate K_(d)s similarly possessed intermediate neutralization IC₅₀ values. To explore the relationship between virus neutralizing activity and gp120 binding affinity, the data in Table 6 was plotted in several different ways. It was found that when the K_(d) of the monoclonal antibodies was plotted as a function of the log of the IC₅₀, a linear relationship was obtained (FIG. 8). Using this analysis a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.97) was obtained. Thus, this graph demonstrates that the virus neutralizing activity of these monoclonal antibodies is directly proportional to the gp120 binding affinity, and that the threshold for neutralization at this epitope is defined by the slope of the graph in FIG. 8.

[0152] A similar analysis was performed with the non-neutralizing CD4 blocking monoclonal antibodies to IIIB-rgp120, 5C2 and 13H8. The binding curve for 13H8 (FIG. 7C) showed that it bound to a single class of sites on IIIB-rgp120 with a K_(d) of 22 nM. The affinity of 5C2 could not be determined by this assay because at antibody concentrations greater than 5 nM, non-linear (reduced gp120 binding) was observed. This effect was suggestive steric hindrance at these concentrations or negative cooperativity between combining sites. The binding affinity was also determined for the non-neutralizing, non-CD4 blocking monoclonal antibody to MN-rgp120, 1086. The fact that this antibody exhibited a binding affinity similar (9.7 nM) to many of the neutralizing monoclonal antibodies but failed to inhibit infectivity, proves that high antibody binding affinity alone is not sufficient for neutralization.

[0153] Effect of C4 Domain Mutants on CD4 Binding

[0154] Finally, the CD4 binding properties of the series of MN-rgp120 mutants, constructed to localize the C4 domain epitopes, were measured in a qualitative co-immunoprecipitation assay. In these studies the ability of the mutagenized MN-rgp120 variants to co-immunoprecipitate CD4 was evaluated as described previously (21) in a qualitative co-immunoprecipitation assay similar to that described previously (19). Briefly, 293 cells, transfected with plasmids directing the expression of MN-rgp120 variants described in FIG. 5, were metabolically labeled with [³⁵S]-methionine, and the growth conditioned cell culture supernatants were incubated with rsCD4. The resulting rsCD4:gp120 complexes were then immunoprecipitated by addition of the CD4 specific monoclonal antibody, 465 (A) or a positive control monoclonal antibody (1034) directed to the V3 domain of MN-rgp120 (B). The immunoprecipitated proteins were resolved by SDS-PAGE and visualized by autoradiography as described previously (3). The samples were: Lane 1, MN.419A; lane 2, MN.421A; lane 3, MN.429E; lane 4, MN.429A; lane 5, MN.432A; lane 6, MN.440A; lane 7, MN-rgp120. The gel showed that the mutants that block antibody binding do not block binding of CD4. Therefore, the antibodies do not bind to the gp120 CD4-binding contact residues. This indicates that steric hinderance may inhibit antibody binding, rather than that the antibodies bind directly to the CD4 contact residues to inhibit binding.

[0155] It was found that all of the variants in which apolar A residue was substituted for the charged K or E residues (e.g., MN.419A, MN.421A, MN.432A, and MN.440A) were still able to co-immunoprecipitate rsCD4. Similarly, the replacement of E for K at position 429 (MN.429E), the replacement of F for I at position 423 (MN.423F) or the mutant which incorporated both mutation (MN.423F,429E) also showed no reduction in their ability to co-immunoprecipitate rsCD4. Thus, radical amino acid substitutions at five positions failed to affect the binding of gp120 to CD4. These results were consistent with previous studies (5, 21, 34) where it was found that only a few of the many mutations that have been induced in this region effected CD4 binding.

[0156] This study indicates that neutralizing epitopes in the C4 domain have now been found to be located between about residues 420 and 440. In addition, the critical residues for antibody binding are residues 429 and 432.

EXAMPLE 2 Identification of V2 Neutralizing Epitopes

[0157] The procedures described in Example 1 were used to map epitopes in the V2 region of gp120. Table 7 illustrates the results of mutagenicity studies to map V2 neutralizing epitopes. In the table, the columns indicate the comparison of binding of the monoclonal antibodies with wild type (WT) gp120 in comparison to various mutations of gp120 using standard notation. For example, “G171R” indicates that the glycine (G) at residue 171 has been replaced by an arginine (R). “172A/173A” indicates that the residues at 172 and 173 have been replaced by alanine. The neutralizing monoclonal antibodies tested (MAbs) are listed in the rows. The numerical values in the table are the optical density value of an ELISA assay performed as described in Example 1 to measure the amount of antibody binding. The underlined values indicate significantly reduced binding, indicating the substituted residue is critical for binding of the antibody. TABLE 7 Mabs WT G171R, M174V 172A/173A E187V 187V/188S 6E10 1.00 0.10 1.28 0.60 0.25 1017 1.00 0.70 1.10 0.87 0.04 1022 1.00 0.80 1.10 1.00 0.00 1028 1.00 0.90 1.18 1.07 0.04 1029 1.00 0.83 1.16 1.01 0.16 1019 1.00 0.13 1.30 0.75 0.74 1027 1.00 0.00 1.20 0.80 0.64 1025 1.00 0.69 0.00 0.00 0.83 1088 1.00 0.73 1.12 0.94 0.03 13H8 1.00 0.77 0.78 0.48 0.65 Mabs WT 177A 172A/173A 188A 183A 6E10 1.00 0.36 0.52 0.64 0.43 1017 1.00 0.77 0.77 0.76 0.11 1022 1.00 0.86 0.72 0.14 0.00 1028 1.00 0.93 0.78 0.49 0.04 1029 1.00 0.88 0.85 0.53 0.16 1019 1.00 0.16 0.00 0.41 0.44 1027 1.00 0.00 0.02 0.41 0.49 1025 1.00 0.75 0.0 0.83 0.72 1088 1.00 0.77 0.77 0.53 0.00 13H8 1.00 0.72 0.72 0.53 0.60

[0158] As illustrated in Table 7, the study demonstrated that there are a series of overlapping neutralizing epitopes from been found to be located in the V2 region (residues 163 through 200), with most of the epitopes located between residues 163 and 200. In addition, the study indicates that the critical residues in the V2 domain for antibody binding are residues 171, 173, 174, 177, 181, 183, 187, and 188.

EXAMPLE 3 Immunization Studies

[0159] gp120 from the MN, GNE₈, and GNE₁₆ strains of HIV was prepared by amplifying the gene from each isolate and cloning and expressing the gene in CHO cells as described in Berman et al., J. Virol. 66:4464-4469 (1992). Briefly, the gp160 gene was amplified with two rounds of amplification using the following nested primers according to the protocol by Kellog et al., pp 337-347 in PCR Protocols: a guide to methods and amplification. Innis et al. (eds.) Academic Press, Inc., New York.

[0160] First round primers: AATAATAGCAATAGTTGTGTGGWCC (W is A or T) ATTCTTTCCCTTAYAGTAGGCCATCC (Y is T or C)

[0161] Second round primers: GGGAATTCGGATCCAGAGCAGAAGACAGTGGCAATGA GTCAAGAATTCTTATAGCAAAGCCCTTTCCAA

[0162] The primers are SEQ. ID. NOs. 31-34. Each gene is then digested with the restriction endonucleases KpnI and AccI. The resulting fragment was subcloned into the Bluescript (+) phagemid M13 vector (Stratagene, Inc.) and sequenced by the dideoxynucleotide method (Sanger et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:5463-5467 (1977)).

[0163] A fragment of the gp120 coding region was then used to construct a chimeric gene for expression in mammalian cells, as described in Lasky et al., Science 223:209-212 (1986). The 5′ end was fused to a polylinker adjacent to a simian virus 40 (SV40) promoter and the 3′ end was fused to a polylinker adjacent to the 3′ untranslated sequences containing an SV40 polyadenylation signal. The expression vector (MN-rgp120) was co-transfected in CHO cells deficient in production of the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase, along with a plasmid (pSVdhfr) containing a cDNA encoding the selectable marker, dihydrofolate reductase. Cell lines expressing MN-rgp120 were isolated as described in Lasky et al., Science 223:209-212 (1986). The recombinant glycoprotein was purified from growth-conditioned cell culture medium by immunoaffinity and ion exchange chromatography as described in Leonard et al., J. Biol. Chem. 265:10373-10382 (1990).

[0164] gp120 from the GNE₈ and GNE₁₆ strains of HIV is prepared in the same manner as described for the MN isolate.

[0165] MN-rgp120 (300 μg/injection), GNE₈-rgp120 (300 μg/injection), and GNE₁₆-rgp120 (300 μg/injection) are prepared in an aluminum hydroxide adjuvant (as described in Cordonnier et al., Nature 340:571-574 (1989)). Six chimpanzees are injected at 0, 4, and 32 weeks. Sera are collected and assayed for neutralizing antibody to each strain of HIV at the time of each immunization and three weeks thereafter. At 35 weeks, each of the chimpanzees has significant levels of neutralizing antibodies to each strain.

[0166] At 35 weeks, the chimpanzees are randomly assigned to three groups. Each group is challenged with about 10 50% chimpanzee-infectious doses (CID₅₀) each of one of the vaccine isolates. One unimmunized chimpanzee (control) is also injected with the same amount of virus as the immunized chimpanzees for each vaccine strain.

[0167] Sera are drawn every two weeks throughout the study and assayed for antibodies to HIV core proteins and for the presence of HIV by PCR amplification and co-cultivation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the chimpanzee together with activated human or chimpanzee PBMCs. The presence of antibodies to core proteins indicates the presence of viral infection as does the detection of amplified viral DNA or viral infection of co-cultivated cells.

[0168] The presence of virus is detected by PCR and co-cultivation methods in each unimmunized control animal between weeks 2 and 4 post challenge. Antibodies to core proteins appear in the control chimpanzees at six weeks post challenge. Neither virus nor antibodies are at detectable levels in any of the immunized chimpanzees at one year post challenge, indicating that the vaccine effectively protects the chimpanzees from infection from each of the challenge strains.

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1 33 511 amino acids amino acid single linear 1 Met Arg Val Lys Gly Ile Arg Arg Asn Tyr Gln His Trp Trp Gly Arg 1 5 10 15 Gly Thr Met Leu Leu Gly Leu Leu Met Ile Cys Ser Ala Thr Glu Lys 20 25 30 Leu Trp Val Thr Val Tyr Tyr Gly Val Pro Val Trp Lys Glu Ala Thr 35 40 45 Thr Thr Leu Phe Cys Ala Ser Asp Ala Lys Ala Tyr Asp Thr Glu Ala 50 55 60 His Asn Val Trp Ala Thr His Ala Cys Val Pro Thr Asp Pro Asn Pro 65 70 75 80 Gln Glu Val Glu Leu Val Asn Val Thr Glu Asn Phe Asn Met Trp Lys 85 90 95 Asn Asn Met Val Glu Gln Met His Glu Asp Ile Ile Ser Leu Trp Asp 100 105 110 Gln Ser Leu Lys Pro Cys Val Lys Leu Thr Pro Leu Cys Val Thr Leu 115 120 125 Asn Cys Thr Asp Leu Arg Asn Thr Thr Asn Thr Asn Asn Ser Thr Asp 130 135 140 Asn Asn Asn Ser Lys Ser Glu Gly Thr Ile Lys Gly Gly Glu Met Lys 145 150 155 160 Asn Cys Ser Phe Asn Ile Thr Thr Ser Ile Gly Asp Lys Met Gln Lys 165 170 175 Glu Tyr Ala Leu Leu Tyr Lys Leu Asp Ile Glu Pro Ile Asp Asn Asp 180 185 190 Ser Thr Ser Tyr Arg Leu Ile Ser Cys Asn Thr Ser Val Ile Thr Gln 195 200 205 Ala Cys Pro Lys Ile Ser Phe Glu Pro Ile Pro Ile His Tyr Cys Ala 210 215 220 Pro Ala Gly Phe Ala Ile Leu Lys Cys Asn Asp Lys Lys Phe Ser Gly 225 230 235 240 Lys Gly Ser Cys Lys Asn Val Ser Thr Val Gln Cys Thr His Gly Ile 245 250 255 Arg Pro Val Val Ser Thr Gln Leu Leu Leu Asn Gly Ser Leu Ala Glu 260 265 270 Glu Glu Val Val Ile Arg Ser Glu Asp Phe Thr Asp Asn Ala Lys Thr 275 280 285 Ile Ile Val His Leu Lys Glu Ser Val Gln Ile Asn Cys Thr Arg Pro 290 295 300 Asn Tyr Asn Lys Arg Lys Arg Ile His Ile Gly Pro Gly Arg Ala Phe 305 310 315 320 Tyr Thr Thr Lys Asn Ile Lys Gly Thr Ile Arg Gln Ala His Cys Ile 325 330 335 Ile Ser Arg Ala Lys Trp Asn Asp Thr Leu Arg Gln Ile Val Ser Lys 340 345 350 Leu Lys Glu Gln Phe Lys Asn Lys Thr Ile Val Phe Asn Pro Ser Ser 355 360 365 Gly Gly Asp Pro Glu Ile Val Met His Ser Phe Asn Cys Gly Gly Glu 370 375 380 Phe Phe Tyr Cys Asn Thr Ser Pro Leu Phe Asn Ser Ile Trp Asn Gly 385 390 395 400 Asn Asn Thr Trp Asn Asn Thr Thr Gly Ser Asn Asn Asn Ile Thr Leu 405 410 415 Gln Cys Lys Ile Lys Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Lys Val Gly Lys 420 425 430 Ala Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Glu Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys Ser Ser Asn 435 440 445 Ile Thr Gly Leu Leu Leu Thr Arg Asp Gly Gly Glu Asp Thr Asp Thr 450 455 460 Asn Asp Thr Glu Ile Phe Arg Pro Gly Gly Gly Asp Met Arg Asp Asn 465 470 475 480 Trp Arg Ser Glu Leu Tyr Lys Tyr Lys Val Val Thr Ile Glu Pro Leu 485 490 495 Gly Val Ala Pro Thr Lys Ala Lys Arg Arg Val Val Gln Arg Glu 500 505 510 501 amino acids amino acid single linear 2 Lys Tyr Ala Leu Ala Asp Ala Ser Leu Lys Met Ala Asp Pro Asn Arg 1 5 10 15 Phe Arg Gly Lys Asp Leu Pro Val Leu Asp Gln Leu Leu Glu Val Pro 20 25 30 Val Trp Lys Glu Ala Thr Thr Thr Leu Phe Cys Ala Ser Asp Ala Lys 35 40 45 Ala Tyr Asp Thr Glu Ala His Asn Val Trp Ala Thr His Ala Cys Val 50 55 60 Pro Thr Asp Pro Asn Pro Gln Glu Val Glu Leu Val Asn Val Thr Glu 65 70 75 80 Asn Phe Asn Met Trp Lys Asn Asn Met Val Glu Gln Met His Glu Asp 85 90 95 Ile Ile Ser Leu Trp Asp Gln Ser Leu Lys Pro Cys Val Lys Leu Thr 100 105 110 Pro Leu Cys Val Thr Leu Asn Cys Thr Asp Leu Arg Asn Thr Thr Asn 115 120 125 Thr Asn Asn Ser Thr Asp Asn Asn Asn Ser Lys Ser Glu Gly Thr Ile 130 135 140 Lys Gly Gly Glu Met Lys Asn Cys Ser Phe Asn Ile Thr Thr Ser Ile 145 150 155 160 Gly Asp Lys Met Gln Lys Glu Tyr Ala Leu Leu Tyr Lys Leu Asp Ile 165 170 175 Glu Pro Ile Asp Asn Asp Ser Thr Ser Tyr Arg Leu Ile Ser Cys Asn 180 185 190 Thr Ser Val Ile Thr Gln Ala Cys Pro Lys Ile Ser Phe Glu Pro Ile 195 200 205 Pro Ile His Tyr Cys Ala Pro Ala Gly Phe Ala Ile Leu Lys Cys Asn 210 215 220 Asp Lys Lys Phe Ser Gly Lys Gly Ser Cys Lys Asn Val Ser Thr Val 225 230 235 240 Gln Cys Thr His Gly Ile Arg Pro Val Val Ser Thr Gln Leu Leu Leu 245 250 255 Asn Gly Ser Leu Ala Glu Glu Glu Val Val Ile Arg Ser Glu Asp Phe 260 265 270 Thr Asp Asn Ala Lys Thr Ile Ile Val His Leu Lys Glu Ser Val Gln 275 280 285 Ile Asn Cys Thr Arg Pro Asn Tyr Asn Lys Arg Lys Arg Ile His Ile 290 295 300 Gly Pro Gly Arg Ala Phe Tyr Thr Thr Lys Asn Ile Lys Gly Thr Ile 305 310 315 320 Arg Gln Ala His Cys Ile Ile Ser Arg Ala Lys Trp Asn Asp Thr Leu 325 330 335 Arg Gln Ile Val Ser Lys Leu Lys Glu Gln Phe Lys Asn Lys Thr Ile 340 345 350 Val Phe Asn Pro Ser Ser Gly Gly Asp Pro Glu Ile Val Met His Ser 355 360 365 Phe Asn Cys Gly Gly Glu Phe Phe Tyr Cys Asn Thr Ser Pro Leu Phe 370 375 380 Asn Ser Ile Trp Asn Gly Asn Asn Thr Trp Asn Asn Thr Thr Gly Ser 385 390 395 400 Asn Asn Asn Ile Thr Leu Gln Cys Lys Ile Lys Gln Ile Ile Asn Met 405 410 415 Trp Gln Lys Val Gly Lys Ala Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Glu Gly Gln 420 425 430 Ile Arg Cys Ser Ser Asn Ile Thr Gly Leu Leu Leu Thr Arg Asp Gly 435 440 445 Gly Glu Asp Thr Asp Thr Asn Asp Thr Glu Ile Phe Arg Pro Gly Gly 450 455 460 Gly Asp Met Arg Asp Asn Trp Arg Ser Glu Leu Tyr Lys Tyr Lys Val 465 470 475 480 Val Thr Ile Glu Pro Leu Gly Val Ala Pro Thr Lys Ala Lys Arg Arg 485 490 495 Val Val Gln Arg Glu 500 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 3 Cys Lys Ile Lys Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Lys Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Glu Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 4 Cys Arg Ile Lys Gln Phe Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Glu Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Ser Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 5 Cys Arg Ile Lys Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Glu Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Lys Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 6 Cys Arg Ile Lys Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Gly Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Glu Gly Gln Ile Asn Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 7 Cys Arg Ile Lys Gln Ile Ile Asn Arg Trp Gln Glu Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Ile Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Ser Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 8 Cys Arg Ile Lys Gln Ile Val Asn Met Trp Gln Arg Val Gly Gln Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Lys Gly Val Ile Lys Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 9 Cys Lys Ile Lys Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Gly Ala Gly Gln Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Ser Gly Thr Ile Asn Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 10 Cys Arg Ile Lys Gln Phe Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Glu Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Ser Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 11 Cys Lys Ile Lys Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Lys Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Ser Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 12 Cys Arg Ile Lys Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Glu Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Ser Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 13 Cys Lys Ile Lys Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Glu Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Glu Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 92 amino acids amino acid single linear 14 Ser Gly Gly Asp Pro Glu Ile Val Met His Ser Phe Asn Cys Gly Gly 1 5 10 15 Glu Phe Phe Tyr Cys Asn Thr Ser Pro Leu Phe Asn Ser Ile Trp Asn 20 25 30 Gly Asn Asn Thr Trp Asn Asn Thr Thr Gly Ser Asn Asn Asn Ile Thr 35 40 45 Leu Gln Cys Lys Ile Lys Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Lys Val Gly 50 55 60 Lys Ala Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Glu Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys Ser Ser 65 70 75 80 Asn Ile Thr Gly Leu Leu Leu Thr Arg Asp Gly Gly 85 90 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 15 Cys Lys Ile Lys Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Glu Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Glu Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 16 Cys Lys Ile Lys Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Ala Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Glu Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 17 Cys Ala Ile Lys Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Lys Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Glu Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 18 Cys Lys Ile Ala Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Lys Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Glu Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 19 Cys Lys Ile Lys Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Lys Val Gly Ala Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Glu Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 20 Cys Lys Ile Lys Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Lys Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Ala Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 21 Cys Arg Ile Lys Gln Phe Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Glu Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Ser Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 22 Cys Lys Ile Lys Gln Phe Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Lys Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Glu Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 28 amino acids amino acid single linear 23 Cys Lys Ile Lys Gln Phe Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Glu Val Gly Lys Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Glu Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys 20 25 18 amino acids amino acid single linear 24 Phe Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Glu Val Gly Lys Ala Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro 1 5 10 15 Ile Ser 12 amino acids amino acid single linear 25 Met Trp Gln Glu Val Gly Lys Ala Met Tyr Ala Pro 1 5 10 14 amino acids amino acid single linear 26 Gly Lys Ala Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Lys Gly Gln Ile Arg 1 5 10 2552 base pairs nucleic acid double linear DNA (genomic) CDS 1..2552 27 ATG ATA GTG AAG GGG ATC AGG AAG AAT TGT CAG CAC TTG TGG AGA TGG 48 Met Ile Val Lys Gly Ile Arg Lys Asn Cys Gln His Leu Trp Arg Trp 1 5 10 15 GGC ACC ATG CTC CTT GGG ATG TTG ATG ATC TGT AGT GCT GCA GAA AAA 96 Gly Thr Met Leu Leu Gly Met Leu Met Ile Cys Ser Ala Ala Glu Lys 20 25 30 TTG TGG GTC ACA GTC TAT TAT GGG GTA CCT GTG TGG AAA GAA GCA ACC 144 Leu Trp Val Thr Val Tyr Tyr Gly Val Pro Val Trp Lys Glu Ala Thr 35 40 45 ACC ACT CTA TTT TGT GCA TCA GAT GCT AAA GCA TAT GAT ACA GAG GTA 192 Thr Thr Leu Phe Cys Ala Ser Asp Ala Lys Ala Tyr Asp Thr Glu Val 50 55 60 CAT AAT GTT TGG GCC ACA CAT GCC TGT GTA CCC ACA GAC CCC AAC CCA 240 His Asn Val Trp Ala Thr His Ala Cys Val Pro Thr Asp Pro Asn Pro 65 70 75 80 CAA GAA ATA GGA TTG GAA AAT GTA ACA GAA AAT TTT AAC ATG TGG AAA 288 Gln Glu Ile Gly Leu Glu Asn Val Thr Glu Asn Phe Asn Met Trp Lys 85 90 95 AAT AAC ATG GTA GAA CAG ATG CAT GAG GAT ATA ATC AGT TTA TGG GAT 336 Asn Asn Met Val Glu Gln Met His Glu Asp Ile Ile Ser Leu Trp Asp 100 105 110 CAA AGC TTA AAG CCA TGT GTA AAA TTA ACC CCA CTA TGT GTT ACT TTA 384 Gln Ser Leu Lys Pro Cys Val Lys Leu Thr Pro Leu Cys Val Thr Leu 115 120 125 AAT TGC ACT GAT TTG AAA AAT GCT ACT AAT ACC ACT AGT AGC AGC TGG 432 Asn Cys Thr Asp Leu Lys Asn Ala Thr Asn Thr Thr Ser Ser Ser Trp 130 135 140 GGA AAG ATG GAG AGA GGA GAA ATA AAA AAC TGC TCT TTC AAT GTC ACC 480 Gly Lys Met Glu Arg Gly Glu Ile Lys Asn Cys Ser Phe Asn Val Thr 145 150 155 160 ACA AGT ATA AGA GAT AAG ATG AAG AAT GAA TAT GCA CTT TTT TAT AAA 528 Thr Ser Ile Arg Asp Lys Met Lys Asn Glu Tyr Ala Leu Phe Tyr Lys 165 170 175 CTT GAT GTA GTA CCA ATA GAT AAT GAT AAT ACT AGC TAT AGG TTG ATA 576 Leu Asp Val Val Pro Ile Asp Asn Asp Asn Thr Ser Tyr Arg Leu Ile 180 185 190 AGT TGT AAC ACC TCA GTC ATT ACA CAG GCC TGT CCA AAG GTG TCC TTT 624 Ser Cys Asn Thr Ser Val Ile Thr Gln Ala Cys Pro Lys Val Ser Phe 195 200 205 GAG CCA ATT CCC ATA CAT TAT TGT GCC CCG GCT GGT TTT GCG ATT CTA 672 Glu Pro Ile Pro Ile His Tyr Cys Ala Pro Ala Gly Phe Ala Ile Leu 210 215 220 AAG TGT AGA GAT AAA AAG TTC AAC GGA ACA GGA CCA TGT ACA AAT GTC 720 Lys Cys Arg Asp Lys Lys Phe Asn Gly Thr Gly Pro Cys Thr Asn Val 225 230 235 240 AGC ACA GTA CAA TGT ACA CAT GGA ATT AGG CCA GTA GTA TCA ACT CAA 768 Ser Thr Val Gln Cys Thr His Gly Ile Arg Pro Val Val Ser Thr Gln 245 250 255 CTG CTG TTA AAT GGC AGT TTA GCA GAA GAA GAA GTA GTA ATT AGA TCT 816 Leu Leu Leu Asn Gly Ser Leu Ala Glu Glu Glu Val Val Ile Arg Ser 260 265 270 GCC AAT TTC TCG GAC AAT GCT AAA ACC ATA ATA GTA CAG CTG AAC GAA 864 Ala Asn Phe Ser Asp Asn Ala Lys Thr Ile Ile Val Gln Leu Asn Glu 275 280 285 TCT GTA GAA ATT AAT TGT ACA AGA CCC AAC AAC AAT ACA AGA AGA AGT 912 Ser Val Glu Ile Asn Cys Thr Arg Pro Asn Asn Asn Thr Arg Arg Ser 290 295 300 ATA CAT ATA GGA CCA GGG AGA GCA TTT TAT GCA ACA GGA GAA ATA ATA 960 Ile His Ile Gly Pro Gly Arg Ala Phe Tyr Ala Thr Gly Glu Ile Ile 305 310 315 320 GGA GAC ATA AGA CAA GCA CAT TGT AAC CTT AGT AGC ACA AAA TGG AAT 1008 Gly Asp Ile Arg Gln Ala His Cys Asn Leu Ser Ser Thr Lys Trp Asn 325 330 335 AAT ACT TTA AAA CAG ATA GTT ACA AAA TTA AGA GAA CAT TTT AAT AAA 1056 Asn Thr Leu Lys Gln Ile Val Thr Lys Leu Arg Glu His Phe Asn Lys 340 345 350 ACA ATA GTC TTT AAT CAC TCC TCA GGA GGG GAC CCA GAA ATT GTA ATG 1104 Thr Ile Val Phe Asn His Ser Ser Gly Gly Asp Pro Glu Ile Val Met 355 360 365 CAC AGT TTT AAT TGT GGA GGG GAA TTT TTC TAC TGT AAT ACA ACA CCA 1152 His Ser Phe Asn Cys Gly Gly Glu Phe Phe Tyr Cys Asn Thr Thr Pro 370 375 380 CTG TTT AAT AGT ACT TGG AAT TAT ACT TAT ACT TGG AAT AAT ACT GAA 1200 Leu Phe Asn Ser Thr Trp Asn Tyr Thr Tyr Thr Trp Asn Asn Thr Glu 385 390 395 400 GGG TCA AAT GAC ACT GGA AGA AAT ATC ACA CTC CAA TGC AGA ATA AAA 1248 Gly Ser Asn Asp Thr Gly Arg Asn Ile Thr Leu Gln Cys Arg Ile Lys 405 410 415 CAA ATT ATA AAC ATG TGG CAG GAA GTA GGA AAA GCA ATG TAT GCC CCT 1296 Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Glu Val Gly Lys Ala Met Tyr Ala Pro 420 425 430 CCC ATA AGA GGA CAA ATT AGA TGC TCA TCA AAT ATT ACA GGG CTG CTA 1344 Pro Ile Arg Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys Ser Ser Asn Ile Thr Gly Leu Leu 435 440 445 TTA ACA AGA GAT GGT GGT AAT AAC AGC GAA ACC GAG ATC TTC AGA CCT 1392 Leu Thr Arg Asp Gly Gly Asn Asn Ser Glu Thr Glu Ile Phe Arg Pro 450 455 460 GGA GGA GGA GAT ATG AGG GAC AAT TGG AGA AGT GAA TTA TAT AAA TAT 1440 Gly Gly Gly Asp Met Arg Asp Asn Trp Arg Ser Glu Leu Tyr Lys Tyr 465 470 475 480 AAA GTA GTA AAA ATT GAA CCA TTA GGA GTA GCA CCC ACC AAG GCA AAG 1488 Lys Val Val Lys Ile Glu Pro Leu Gly Val Ala Pro Thr Lys Ala Lys 485 490 495 AGA AGA GTG ATG CAG AGA GAA AAA AGA GCA GTG GGA ATA GGA GCT GTG 1536 Arg Arg Val Met Gln Arg Glu Lys Arg Ala Val Gly Ile Gly Ala Val 500 505 510 TTC CTT GGG TTC TTG GGA GCA GCA GGA AGC ACT ATG GGC GCA GCG TCA 1584 Phe Leu Gly Phe Leu Gly Ala Ala Gly Ser Thr Met Gly Ala Ala Ser 515 520 525 GTG ACG CTG ACG GTA CAG GCC AGA CTA TTA TTG TCT GGT ATA GTG CAA 1632 Val Thr Leu Thr Val Gln Ala Arg Leu Leu Leu Ser Gly Ile Val Gln 530 535 540 CAG CAG AAC AAT TTG CTG AGG GCT ATT GAG GCC GAA CAG CAT CTG TTG 1680 Gln Gln Asn Asn Leu Leu Arg Ala Ile Glu Ala Glu Gln His Leu Leu 545 550 555 560 CAA CTC ACA GTC TGG GGC ATC AAG CAG CTC CAG GCA AGA GTC CTG GCT 1728 Gln Leu Thr Val Trp Gly Ile Lys Gln Leu Gln Ala Arg Val Leu Ala 565 570 575 GTG GAG AGA TAC CTA AAG GAT CAA CAG CTC CTG GGG ATT TGG GGT TGC 1776 Val Glu Arg Tyr Leu Lys Asp Gln Gln Leu Leu Gly Ile Trp Gly Cys 580 585 590 TCT GGA AAA CTC ATC TGC ACC ACT GCT GTG CCT TGG AAT GCT AGT TGG 1824 Ser Gly Lys Leu Ile Cys Thr Thr Ala Val Pro Trp Asn Ala Ser Trp 595 600 605 AGT AAT AAA TCT CTG GAT AAG ATT TGG GAT AAC ATG ACC TGG ATG GAG 1872 Ser Asn Lys Ser Leu Asp Lys Ile Trp Asp Asn Met Thr Trp Met Glu 610 615 620 TGG GAA AGA GAA ATT GAC AAT TAC ACA AGC TTA ATA TAC AGC TTA ATT 1920 Trp Glu Arg Glu Ile Asp Asn Tyr Thr Ser Leu Ile Tyr Ser Leu Ile 625 630 635 640 GAA GAA TCG CAG AAC CAA CAA GAA AAA AAT GAA CAA GAA TTA TTG GAA 1968 Glu Glu Ser Gln Asn Gln Gln Glu Lys Asn Glu Gln Glu Leu Leu Glu 645 650 655 TTA GAT AAA TGG GCA AGT TTG TGG AAT TGG TTT GAC ATA ACA AAA TGG 2016 Leu Asp Lys Trp Ala Ser Leu Trp Asn Trp Phe Asp Ile Thr Lys Trp 660 665 670 CTG TGG TAT ATA AAA ATA TTC ATA ATG ATA GTA GGA GGC TTG GTA GGT 2064 Leu Trp Tyr Ile Lys Ile Phe Ile Met Ile Val Gly Gly Leu Val Gly 675 680 685 TTA AGA ATA GTT TTT ACT GTA CTT TCT ATA GTG AAT AGA GTT AGG AAG 2112 Leu Arg Ile Val Phe Thr Val Leu Ser Ile Val Asn Arg Val Arg Lys 690 695 700 GGA TAC TCA CCA TTA TCG TTC CAG ACC CAC CTC CCA GCC CCG AGG GGA 2160 Gly Tyr Ser Pro Leu Ser Phe Gln Thr His Leu Pro Ala Pro Arg Gly 705 710 715 720 CTC GAC AGG CCC GAA GGA ACC GAA GAA GAA GGT GGA GAG CGA GAC AGA 2208 Leu Asp Arg Pro Glu Gly Thr Glu Glu Glu Gly Gly Glu Arg Asp Arg 725 730 735 GAC AGA TCC AGT CGA TTA GTG GAT GGA TTC TTA GCA ATT GTC TGG GTC 2256 Asp Arg Ser Ser Arg Leu Val Asp Gly Phe Leu Ala Ile Val Trp Val 740 745 750 GAC CTG CGG AGC CTG TGC CTC TTC AGC TAC CAC CGC TTG AGA GAC TTA 2304 Asp Leu Arg Ser Leu Cys Leu Phe Ser Tyr His Arg Leu Arg Asp Leu 755 760 765 CTC TTG ATT GCA GCG AGG ATT GTG GAA CTT CTG GGA CGC AGG GGG TGG 2352 Leu Leu Ile Ala Ala Arg Ile Val Glu Leu Leu Gly Arg Arg Gly Trp 770 775 780 GAA GCC CTC AAA TAT TGG TGG AAT CTC CTA CAG TAT TGG ATT CAG GAA 2400 Glu Ala Leu Lys Tyr Trp Trp Asn Leu Leu Gln Tyr Trp Ile Gln Glu 785 790 795 800 CTA AAG AAT AGT GCT GTT AGC TTG CTC AAT GCC ACA GCC ATA GCA GTA 2448 Leu Lys Asn Ser Ala Val Ser Leu Leu Asn Ala Thr Ala Ile Ala Val 805 810 815 GCT GAG GGA ACA GAT AGG GTT ATA GAA ATA GTA CAA AGA GCT TAT AGA 2496 Ala Glu Gly Thr Asp Arg Val Ile Glu Ile Val Gln Arg Ala Tyr Arg 820 825 830 GCT ATT CTC CAC ATA CCC ACA CGA ATA AGA CAG GGC TTG GAA AGG GCT 2544 Ala Ile Leu His Ile Pro Thr Arg Ile Arg Gln Gly Leu Glu Arg Ala 835 840 845 TTG CTA TA 2552 Leu Leu 850 850 amino acids amino acid single linear 28 Met Ile Val Lys Gly Ile Arg Lys Asn Cys Gln His Leu Trp Arg Trp 1 5 10 15 Gly Thr Met Leu Leu Gly Met Leu Met Ile Cys Ser Ala Ala Glu Lys 20 25 30 Leu Trp Val Thr Val Tyr Tyr Gly Val Pro Val Trp Lys Glu Ala Thr 35 40 45 Thr Thr Leu Phe Cys Ala Ser Asp Ala Lys Ala Tyr Asp Thr Glu Val 50 55 60 His Asn Val Trp Ala Thr His Ala Cys Val Pro Thr Asp Pro Asn Pro 65 70 75 80 Gln Glu Ile Gly Leu Glu Asn Val Thr Glu Asn Phe Asn Met Trp Lys 85 90 95 Asn Asn Met Val Glu Gln Met His Glu Asp Ile Ile Ser Leu Trp Asp 100 105 110 Gln Ser Leu Lys Pro Cys Val Lys Leu Thr Pro Leu Cys Val Thr Leu 115 120 125 Asn Cys Thr Asp Leu Lys Asn Ala Thr Asn Thr Thr Ser Ser Ser Trp 130 135 140 Gly Lys Met Glu Arg Gly Glu Ile Lys Asn Cys Ser Phe Asn Val Thr 145 150 155 160 Thr Ser Ile Arg Asp Lys Met Lys Asn Glu Tyr Ala Leu Phe Tyr Lys 165 170 175 Leu Asp Val Val Pro Ile Asp Asn Asp Asn Thr Ser Tyr Arg Leu Ile 180 185 190 Ser Cys Asn Thr Ser Val Ile Thr Gln Ala Cys Pro Lys Val Ser Phe 195 200 205 Glu Pro Ile Pro Ile His Tyr Cys Ala Pro Ala Gly Phe Ala Ile Leu 210 215 220 Lys Cys Arg Asp Lys Lys Phe Asn Gly Thr Gly Pro Cys Thr Asn Val 225 230 235 240 Ser Thr Val Gln Cys Thr His Gly Ile Arg Pro Val Val Ser Thr Gln 245 250 255 Leu Leu Leu Asn Gly Ser Leu Ala Glu Glu Glu Val Val Ile Arg Ser 260 265 270 Ala Asn Phe Ser Asp Asn Ala Lys Thr Ile Ile Val Gln Leu Asn Glu 275 280 285 Ser Val Glu Ile Asn Cys Thr Arg Pro Asn Asn Asn Thr Arg Arg Ser 290 295 300 Ile His Ile Gly Pro Gly Arg Ala Phe Tyr Ala Thr Gly Glu Ile Ile 305 310 315 320 Gly Asp Ile Arg Gln Ala His Cys Asn Leu Ser Ser Thr Lys Trp Asn 325 330 335 Asn Thr Leu Lys Gln Ile Val Thr Lys Leu Arg Glu His Phe Asn Lys 340 345 350 Thr Ile Val Phe Asn His Ser Ser Gly Gly Asp Pro Glu Ile Val Met 355 360 365 His Ser Phe Asn Cys Gly Gly Glu Phe Phe Tyr Cys Asn Thr Thr Pro 370 375 380 Leu Phe Asn Ser Thr Trp Asn Tyr Thr Tyr Thr Trp Asn Asn Thr Glu 385 390 395 400 Gly Ser Asn Asp Thr Gly Arg Asn Ile Thr Leu Gln Cys Arg Ile Lys 405 410 415 Gln Ile Ile Asn Met Trp Gln Glu Val Gly Lys Ala Met Tyr Ala Pro 420 425 430 Pro Ile Arg Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys Ser Ser Asn Ile Thr Gly Leu Leu 435 440 445 Leu Thr Arg Asp Gly Gly Asn Asn Ser Glu Thr Glu Ile Phe Arg Pro 450 455 460 Gly Gly Gly Asp Met Arg Asp Asn Trp Arg Ser Glu Leu Tyr Lys Tyr 465 470 475 480 Lys Val Val Lys Ile Glu Pro Leu Gly Val Ala Pro Thr Lys Ala Lys 485 490 495 Arg Arg Val Met Gln Arg Glu Lys Arg Ala Val Gly Ile Gly Ala Val 500 505 510 Phe Leu Gly Phe Leu Gly Ala Ala Gly Ser Thr Met Gly Ala Ala Ser 515 520 525 Val Thr Leu Thr Val Gln Ala Arg Leu Leu Leu Ser Gly Ile Val Gln 530 535 540 Gln Gln Asn Asn Leu Leu Arg Ala Ile Glu Ala Glu Gln His Leu Leu 545 550 555 560 Gln Leu Thr Val Trp Gly Ile Lys Gln Leu Gln Ala Arg Val Leu Ala 565 570 575 Val Glu Arg Tyr Leu Lys Asp Gln Gln Leu Leu Gly Ile Trp Gly Cys 580 585 590 Ser Gly Lys Leu Ile Cys Thr Thr Ala Val Pro Trp Asn Ala Ser Trp 595 600 605 Ser Asn Lys Ser Leu Asp Lys Ile Trp Asp Asn Met Thr Trp Met Glu 610 615 620 Trp Glu Arg Glu Ile Asp Asn Tyr Thr Ser Leu Ile Tyr Ser Leu Ile 625 630 635 640 Glu Glu Ser Gln Asn Gln Gln Glu Lys Asn Glu Gln Glu Leu Leu Glu 645 650 655 Leu Asp Lys Trp Ala Ser Leu Trp Asn Trp Phe Asp Ile Thr Lys Trp 660 665 670 Leu Trp Tyr Ile Lys Ile Phe Ile Met Ile Val Gly Gly Leu Val Gly 675 680 685 Leu Arg Ile Val Phe Thr Val Leu Ser Ile Val Asn Arg Val Arg Lys 690 695 700 Gly Tyr Ser Pro Leu Ser Phe Gln Thr His Leu Pro Ala Pro Arg Gly 705 710 715 720 Leu Asp Arg Pro Glu Gly Thr Glu Glu Glu Gly Gly Glu Arg Asp Arg 725 730 735 Asp Arg Ser Ser Arg Leu Val Asp Gly Phe Leu Ala Ile Val Trp Val 740 745 750 Asp Leu Arg Ser Leu Cys Leu Phe Ser Tyr His Arg Leu Arg Asp Leu 755 760 765 Leu Leu Ile Ala Ala Arg Ile Val Glu Leu Leu Gly Arg Arg Gly Trp 770 775 780 Glu Ala Leu Lys Tyr Trp Trp Asn Leu Leu Gln Tyr Trp Ile Gln Glu 785 790 795 800 Leu Lys Asn Ser Ala Val Ser Leu Leu Asn Ala Thr Ala Ile Ala Val 805 810 815 Ala Glu Gly Thr Asp Arg Val Ile Glu Ile Val Gln Arg Ala Tyr Arg 820 825 830 Ala Ile Leu His Ile Pro Thr Arg Ile Arg Gln Gly Leu Glu Arg Ala 835 840 845 Leu Leu 850 2573 base pairs nucleic acid double linear DNA (genomic) CDS 1..2573 29 ATG AGA GTG AAG GGG ATC AGG AGG AAT TAT CAG CAC TTG TGG AGA TGG 48 Met Arg Val Lys Gly Ile Arg Arg Asn Tyr Gln His Leu Trp Arg Trp 1 5 10 15 GGC ACC ATG CTC CTT GGG ATA TTG ATG ATC TGT AGT GCT GCA GGG AAA 96 Gly Thr Met Leu Leu Gly Ile Leu Met Ile Cys Ser Ala Ala Gly Lys 20 25 30 TTG TGG GTC ACA GTC TAT TAT GGG GTA CCT GTG TGG AAA GAA ACA ACC 144 Leu Trp Val Thr Val Tyr Tyr Gly Val Pro Val Trp Lys Glu Thr Thr 35 40 45 ACC ACT CTA TTT TGT GCA TCA GAT GCT AAA GCA TAT GAT ACA GAG ATA 192 Thr Thr Leu Phe Cys Ala Ser Asp Ala Lys Ala Tyr Asp Thr Glu Ile 50 55 60 CAT AAT GTT TGG GCC ACA CAT GCC TGT GTA CCC ACA GAC CCC AAC CCA 240 His Asn Val Trp Ala Thr His Ala Cys Val Pro Thr Asp Pro Asn Pro 65 70 75 80 CAA GAA GTA GTA TTG GAA AAT GTG ACA GAA AAT TTT AAC ATG TGG AAA 288 Gln Glu Val Val Leu Glu Asn Val Thr Glu Asn Phe Asn Met Trp Lys 85 90 95 AAT AAC ATG GTG GAA CAG ATG CAT GAG GAT ATA ATC AGT TTA TGG GAT 336 Asn Asn Met Val Glu Gln Met His Glu Asp Ile Ile Ser Leu Trp Asp 100 105 110 CAA AGT TTA AAG CCA TGT GTA AAA TTA ACC CCA CTC TGT GTT ACT TTA 384 Gln Ser Leu Lys Pro Cys Val Lys Leu Thr Pro Leu Cys Val Thr Leu 115 120 125 AAT TGC ACT GAT GCG GGG AAT ACT ACT AAT ACC AAT AGT AGT AGC AGG 432 Asn Cys Thr Asp Ala Gly Asn Thr Thr Asn Thr Asn Ser Ser Ser Arg 130 135 140 GAA AAG CTG GAG AAA GGA GAA ATA AAA AAC TGC TCT TTC AAT ATC ACC 480 Glu Lys Leu Glu Lys Gly Glu Ile Lys Asn Cys Ser Phe Asn Ile Thr 145 150 155 160 ACA AGC GTG AGA GAT AAG ATG CAG AAA GAA ACT GCA CTT TTT AAT AAA 528 Thr Ser Val Arg Asp Lys Met Gln Lys Glu Thr Ala Leu Phe Asn Lys 165 170 175 CTT GAT ATA GTA CCA ATA GAT GAT GAT GAT AGG AAT AGT ACT AGG AAT 576 Leu Asp Ile Val Pro Ile Asp Asp Asp Asp Arg Asn Ser Thr Arg Asn 180 185 190 AGT ACT AAC TAT AGG TTG ATA AGT TGT AAC ACC TCA GTC ATT ACA CAG 624 Ser Thr Asn Tyr Arg Leu Ile Ser Cys Asn Thr Ser Val Ile Thr Gln 195 200 205 GCC TGT CCA AAG GTA TCA TTT GAG CCA ATT CCC ATA CAT TTC TGT ACC 672 Ala Cys Pro Lys Val Ser Phe Glu Pro Ile Pro Ile His Phe Cys Thr 210 215 220 CCG GCT GGT TTT GCG CTT CTA AAG TGT AAT AAT AAG ACG TTC AAT GGA 720 Pro Ala Gly Phe Ala Leu Leu Lys Cys Asn Asn Lys Thr Phe Asn Gly 225 230 235 240 TCA GGA CCA TGC AAA AAT GTC AGC ACA GTA CAA TGT ACA CAT GGA ATT 768 Ser Gly Pro Cys Lys Asn Val Ser Thr Val Gln Cys Thr His Gly Ile 245 250 255 AGG CCA GTA GTA TCA ACT CAA CTG CTG TTA AAT GGC AGT CTA GCA GAA 816 Arg Pro Val Val Ser Thr Gln Leu Leu Leu Asn Gly Ser Leu Ala Glu 260 265 270 GGA GAG GTA GTA ATT AGA TCT GAA AAT TTC ACG AAC AAT GCT AAA ACC 864 Gly Glu Val Val Ile Arg Ser Glu Asn Phe Thr Asn Asn Ala Lys Thr 275 280 285 ATA ATA GTA CAG CTG ACA GAA CCA GTA AAA ATT AAT TGT ACA AGA CCC 912 Ile Ile Val Gln Leu Thr Glu Pro Val Lys Ile Asn Cys Thr Arg Pro 290 295 300 AAC AAC AAT ACA AGA AAA AGT ATA CCT ATA GGA CCA GGG AGA GCA TTT 960 Asn Asn Asn Thr Arg Lys Ser Ile Pro Ile Gly Pro Gly Arg Ala Phe 305 310 315 320 TAT GCA ACA GGA GAC ATA ATA GGA AAT ATA AGA CAA GCA CAT TGT AAC 1008 Tyr Ala Thr Gly Asp Ile Ile Gly Asn Ile Arg Gln Ala His Cys Asn 325 330 335 CTT AGT AGA ACA GAC TGG AAT AAC ACT TTA GGA CAG ATA GTT GAA AAA 1056 Leu Ser Arg Thr Asp Trp Asn Asn Thr Leu Gly Gln Ile Val Glu Lys 340 345 350 TTA AGA GAA CAA TTT GGG AAT AAA ACA ATA ATC TTT AAT CAC TCC TCA 1104 Leu Arg Glu Gln Phe Gly Asn Lys Thr Ile Ile Phe Asn His Ser Ser 355 360 365 GGA GGG GAC CCA GAA ATT GTA ATG CAC AGT TTT AAT TGT AGA GGG GAA 1152 Gly Gly Asp Pro Glu Ile Val Met His Ser Phe Asn Cys Arg Gly Glu 370 375 380 TTT TTC TAC TGT AAT ACA ACA CAA TTG TTT GAC AGT ACT TGG GAT AAT 1200 Phe Phe Tyr Cys Asn Thr Thr Gln Leu Phe Asp Ser Thr Trp Asp Asn 385 390 395 400 ACT AAA GTG TCA AAT GGC ACT AGC ACT GAA GAG AAT AGC ACA ATC ACA 1248 Thr Lys Val Ser Asn Gly Thr Ser Thr Glu Glu Asn Ser Thr Ile Thr 405 410 415 CTC CCA TGC AGA ATA AAG CAA ATT GTA AAC ATG TGG CAG GAA GTA GGA 1296 Leu Pro Cys Arg Ile Lys Gln Ile Val Asn Met Trp Gln Glu Val Gly 420 425 430 AAA GCA ATG TAT GCC CCT CCC ATC AGA GGA CAA ATT AGA TGT TCA TCA 1344 Lys Ala Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Arg Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys Ser Ser 435 440 445 AAT ATT ACA GGG TTG CTA TTA ACA AGA GAT GGA GGT AGT AAC AAC AGC 1392 Asn Ile Thr Gly Leu Leu Leu Thr Arg Asp Gly Gly Ser Asn Asn Ser 450 455 460 ATG AAT GAG ACC TTC AGA CCT GGA GGA GGA GAT ATG AGG GAC AAT TGG 1440 Met Asn Glu Thr Phe Arg Pro Gly Gly Gly Asp Met Arg Asp Asn Trp 465 470 475 480 AGA AGT GAA TTA TAC AAA TAT AAA GTA GTA AAA ATT GAA CCA TTA GGA 1488 Arg Ser Glu Leu Tyr Lys Tyr Lys Val Val Lys Ile Glu Pro Leu Gly 485 490 495 GTA GCA CCC ACC AAG GCA AAG AGA AGA GTG GTG CAG AGA GAA AAA AGA 1536 Val Ala Pro Thr Lys Ala Lys Arg Arg Val Val Gln Arg Glu Lys Arg 500 505 510 GCA GTG GGA ATA GGA GCT GTG TTC CTT GGG TTC TTA GGA GCA GCA GGA 1584 Ala Val Gly Ile Gly Ala Val Phe Leu Gly Phe Leu Gly Ala Ala Gly 515 520 525 AGC ACT ATG GGC GCA GCG TCA ATA ACG CTG ACG GTA CAG GCC AGA CTA 1632 Ser Thr Met Gly Ala Ala Ser Ile Thr Leu Thr Val Gln Ala Arg Leu 530 535 540 TTA TTG TCT GGT ATA GTG CAA CAG CAG AAC AAT TTG CTG AGG GCT ATT 1680 Leu Leu Ser Gly Ile Val Gln Gln Gln Asn Asn Leu Leu Arg Ala Ile 545 550 555 560 GAG GCG CAA CAG CAT CTG TTG CAA CTC ATA GTC TGG GGC ATC AAG CAG 1728 Glu Ala Gln Gln His Leu Leu Gln Leu Ile Val Trp Gly Ile Lys Gln 565 570 575 CTC CAG GCA AGA GTC CTG GCT GTG GAA AGA TAC CTA AGG GAT CAA CAG 1776 Leu Gln Ala Arg Val Leu Ala Val Glu Arg Tyr Leu Arg Asp Gln Gln 580 585 590 CTC CTG GGG ATT TGG GGT TGC TCT GGA AAA CTC ATT TGC ACC ACC TCA 1824 Leu Leu Gly Ile Trp Gly Cys Ser Gly Lys Leu Ile Cys Thr Thr Ser 595 600 605 GTG CCT TGG AAT GCT AGT TGG AGT AAT AAA TCT CTA GAT AAG ATT TGG 1872 Val Pro Trp Asn Ala Ser Trp Ser Asn Lys Ser Leu Asp Lys Ile Trp 610 615 620 GAT AAC ATG ACC TGG ATG GAG TGG GAA AGA GAA ATT GAG AAT TAC ACA 1920 Asp Asn Met Thr Trp Met Glu Trp Glu Arg Glu Ile Glu Asn Tyr Thr 625 630 635 640 AGC TTA ATA TAC ACC TTA ATT GAA GAA TCG CAG AAC CAA CAA GAA AAG 1968 Ser Leu Ile Tyr Thr Leu Ile Glu Glu Ser Gln Asn Gln Gln Glu Lys 645 650 655 AAT GAA CAA GAC TTA TTG GAA TTG GAT CAA TGG GCA AGT CTG TGG AAT 2016 Asn Glu Gln Asp Leu Leu Glu Leu Asp Gln Trp Ala Ser Leu Trp Asn 660 665 670 TGG TTT AGC ATA ACA AAA TGG CTG TGG TAT ATA AAA ATA TTC ATA ATG 2064 Trp Phe Ser Ile Thr Lys Trp Leu Trp Tyr Ile Lys Ile Phe Ile Met 675 680 685 ATA GTT GGA GGC TTG GTA GGT TTA AGA ATA GTT TTT GCT GTA CTT TCT 2112 Ile Val Gly Gly Leu Val Gly Leu Arg Ile Val Phe Ala Val Leu Ser 690 695 700 ATA GTG AAT AGA GTT AGG CAG GGA TAC TCA CCA TTA TCG TTT CAG ACC 2160 Ile Val Asn Arg Val Arg Gln Gly Tyr Ser Pro Leu Ser Phe Gln Thr 705 710 715 720 CGC CTC CCA GCC CCG AGG AGA CCC GAC AGG CCC GAA GGA ATC GAA GAA 2208 Arg Leu Pro Ala Pro Arg Arg Pro Asp Arg Pro Glu Gly Ile Glu Glu 725 730 735 GAA GGT GGA GAG CAA GGC AGA GAC AGA TCC ATT CGC TTA GTG GAT GGA 2256 Glu Gly Gly Glu Gln Gly Arg Asp Arg Ser Ile Arg Leu Val Asp Gly 740 745 750 TTC TTA GCA CTT ATC TGG GAC GAC CTA CGG AGC CTG TGC CTC TTC AGC 2304 Phe Leu Ala Leu Ile Trp Asp Asp Leu Arg Ser Leu Cys Leu Phe Ser 755 760 765 TAC CAC CGC TTG AGA GAC TTA CTC TTG ATT GCA ACG AGG ATT GTG GAA 2352 Tyr His Arg Leu Arg Asp Leu Leu Leu Ile Ala Thr Arg Ile Val Glu 770 775 780 CTT CTG GGA CGC AGG GGG TGG GAA GCC CTC AAA TAT TGG TGG AAT CTC 2400 Leu Leu Gly Arg Arg Gly Trp Glu Ala Leu Lys Tyr Trp Trp Asn Leu 785 790 795 800 CTA CAG TAT TGG ATT CAG GAA CTA AAG AAT AGT GCT GTT AGC TTG CTT 2448 Leu Gln Tyr Trp Ile Gln Glu Leu Lys Asn Ser Ala Val Ser Leu Leu 805 810 815 AAT GTC ACA GCC ATA GCA GTA GCT GAG GGG ACA GAT AGG GTT TTA GAA 2496 Asn Val Thr Ala Ile Ala Val Ala Glu Gly Thr Asp Arg Val Leu Glu 820 825 830 GTA TTA CAA AGA GCT TAT AGA GCT ATT CTC CAC ATA CCT ACA AGA ATA 2544 Val Leu Gln Arg Ala Tyr Arg Ala Ile Leu His Ile Pro Thr Arg Ile 835 840 845 AGA CAG GGC TTG GAA AGG GCT TTG CTA TA 2573 Arg Gln Gly Leu Glu Arg Ala Leu Leu 850 855 857 amino acids amino acid single linear 30 Met Arg Val Lys Gly Ile Arg Arg Asn Tyr Gln His Leu Trp Arg Trp 1 5 10 15 Gly Thr Met Leu Leu Gly Ile Leu Met Ile Cys Ser Ala Ala Gly Lys 20 25 30 Leu Trp Val Thr Val Tyr Tyr Gly Val Pro Val Trp Lys Glu Thr Thr 35 40 45 Thr Thr Leu Phe Cys Ala Ser Asp Ala Lys Ala Tyr Asp Thr Glu Ile 50 55 60 His Asn Val Trp Ala Thr His Ala Cys Val Pro Thr Asp Pro Asn Pro 65 70 75 80 Gln Glu Val Val Leu Glu Asn Val Thr Glu Asn Phe Asn Met Trp Lys 85 90 95 Asn Asn Met Val Glu Gln Met His Glu Asp Ile Ile Ser Leu Trp Asp 100 105 110 Gln Ser Leu Lys Pro Cys Val Lys Leu Thr Pro Leu Cys Val Thr Leu 115 120 125 Asn Cys Thr Asp Ala Gly Asn Thr Thr Asn Thr Asn Ser Ser Ser Arg 130 135 140 Glu Lys Leu Glu Lys Gly Glu Ile Lys Asn Cys Ser Phe Asn Ile Thr 145 150 155 160 Thr Ser Val Arg Asp Lys Met Gln Lys Glu Thr Ala Leu Phe Asn Lys 165 170 175 Leu Asp Ile Val Pro Ile Asp Asp Asp Asp Arg Asn Ser Thr Arg Asn 180 185 190 Ser Thr Asn Tyr Arg Leu Ile Ser Cys Asn Thr Ser Val Ile Thr Gln 195 200 205 Ala Cys Pro Lys Val Ser Phe Glu Pro Ile Pro Ile His Phe Cys Thr 210 215 220 Pro Ala Gly Phe Ala Leu Leu Lys Cys Asn Asn Lys Thr Phe Asn Gly 225 230 235 240 Ser Gly Pro Cys Lys Asn Val Ser Thr Val Gln Cys Thr His Gly Ile 245 250 255 Arg Pro Val Val Ser Thr Gln Leu Leu Leu Asn Gly Ser Leu Ala Glu 260 265 270 Gly Glu Val Val Ile Arg Ser Glu Asn Phe Thr Asn Asn Ala Lys Thr 275 280 285 Ile Ile Val Gln Leu Thr Glu Pro Val Lys Ile Asn Cys Thr Arg Pro 290 295 300 Asn Asn Asn Thr Arg Lys Ser Ile Pro Ile Gly Pro Gly Arg Ala Phe 305 310 315 320 Tyr Ala Thr Gly Asp Ile Ile Gly Asn Ile Arg Gln Ala His Cys Asn 325 330 335 Leu Ser Arg Thr Asp Trp Asn Asn Thr Leu Gly Gln Ile Val Glu Lys 340 345 350 Leu Arg Glu Gln Phe Gly Asn Lys Thr Ile Ile Phe Asn His Ser Ser 355 360 365 Gly Gly Asp Pro Glu Ile Val Met His Ser Phe Asn Cys Arg Gly Glu 370 375 380 Phe Phe Tyr Cys Asn Thr Thr Gln Leu Phe Asp Ser Thr Trp Asp Asn 385 390 395 400 Thr Lys Val Ser Asn Gly Thr Ser Thr Glu Glu Asn Ser Thr Ile Thr 405 410 415 Leu Pro Cys Arg Ile Lys Gln Ile Val Asn Met Trp Gln Glu Val Gly 420 425 430 Lys Ala Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Arg Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys Ser Ser 435 440 445 Asn Ile Thr Gly Leu Leu Leu Thr Arg Asp Gly Gly Ser Asn Asn Ser 450 455 460 Met Asn Glu Thr Phe Arg Pro Gly Gly Gly Asp Met Arg Asp Asn Trp 465 470 475 480 Arg Ser Glu Leu Tyr Lys Tyr Lys Val Val Lys Ile Glu Pro Leu Gly 485 490 495 Val Ala Pro Thr Lys Ala Lys Arg Arg Val Val Gln Arg Glu Lys Arg 500 505 510 Ala Val Gly Ile Gly Ala Val Phe Leu Gly Phe Leu Gly Ala Ala Gly 515 520 525 Ser Thr Met Gly Ala Ala Ser Ile Thr Leu Thr Val Gln Ala Arg Leu 530 535 540 Leu Leu Ser Gly Ile Val Gln Gln Gln Asn Asn Leu Leu Arg Ala Ile 545 550 555 560 Glu Ala Gln Gln His Leu Leu Gln Leu Ile Val Trp Gly Ile Lys Gln 565 570 575 Leu Gln Ala Arg Val Leu Ala Val Glu Arg Tyr Leu Arg Asp Gln Gln 580 585 590 Leu Leu Gly Ile Trp Gly Cys Ser Gly Lys Leu Ile Cys Thr Thr Ser 595 600 605 Val Pro Trp Asn Ala Ser Trp Ser Asn Lys Ser Leu Asp Lys Ile Trp 610 615 620 Asp Asn Met Thr Trp Met Glu Trp Glu Arg Glu Ile Glu Asn Tyr Thr 625 630 635 640 Ser Leu Ile Tyr Thr Leu Ile Glu Glu Ser Gln Asn Gln Gln Glu Lys 645 650 655 Asn Glu Gln Asp Leu Leu Glu Leu Asp Gln Trp Ala Ser Leu Trp Asn 660 665 670 Trp Phe Ser Ile Thr Lys Trp Leu Trp Tyr Ile Lys Ile Phe Ile Met 675 680 685 Ile Val Gly Gly Leu Val Gly Leu Arg Ile Val Phe Ala Val Leu Ser 690 695 700 Ile Val Asn Arg Val Arg Gln Gly Tyr Ser Pro Leu Ser Phe Gln Thr 705 710 715 720 Arg Leu Pro Ala Pro Arg Arg Pro Asp Arg Pro Glu Gly Ile Glu Glu 725 730 735 Glu Gly Gly Glu Gln Gly Arg Asp Arg Ser Ile Arg Leu Val Asp Gly 740 745 750 Phe Leu Ala Leu Ile Trp Asp Asp Leu Arg Ser Leu Cys Leu Phe Ser 755 760 765 Tyr His Arg Leu Arg Asp Leu Leu Leu Ile Ala Thr Arg Ile Val Glu 770 775 780 Leu Leu Gly Arg Arg Gly Trp Glu Ala Leu Lys Tyr Trp Trp Asn Leu 785 790 795 800 Leu Gln Tyr Trp Ile Gln Glu Leu Lys Asn Ser Ala Val Ser Leu Leu 805 810 815 Asn Val Thr Ala Ile Ala Val Ala Glu Gly Thr Asp Arg Val Leu Glu 820 825 830 Val Leu Gln Arg Ala Tyr Arg Ala Ile Leu His Ile Pro Thr Arg Ile 835 840 845 Arg Gln Gly Leu Glu Arg Ala Leu Leu 850 855 2570 base pairs nucleic acid double linear DNA (genomic) CDS 1..2570 31 ATG AGA GTG AAG AGG ATC AGG AGG AAT TAT CAG CAC TTG TGG AAA TGG 48 Met Arg Val Lys Arg Ile Arg Arg Asn Tyr Gln His Leu Trp Lys Trp 1 5 10 15 GGC ACC ATG CTC CTT GGG ATG TTG ATG ATC TGT AGT GCT GCA GGA AAA 96 Gly Thr Met Leu Leu Gly Met Leu Met Ile Cys Ser Ala Ala Gly Lys 20 25 30 TTG TGG GTC ACA GTC TAT TAT GGG GTA CCT GTG TGG AAA GAA ACA ACC 144 Leu Trp Val Thr Val Tyr Tyr Gly Val Pro Val Trp Lys Glu Thr Thr 35 40 45 ACC ACT CTA TTT TGT GCA TCA GAT GCT AAA GCA TAT GAT ACA GAG ATA 192 Thr Thr Leu Phe Cys Ala Ser Asp Ala Lys Ala Tyr Asp Thr Glu Ile 50 55 60 CAT AAT GTT TGG GCC ACA CAT GCC TGT GTA CCC ACA GAC CCC AAC CCA 240 His Asn Val Trp Ala Thr His Ala Cys Val Pro Thr Asp Pro Asn Pro 65 70 75 80 CAA GAA GTA GTA TTG GAA AAT GTG ACA GAA AAT TTT AAC ATG TGG AAA 288 Gln Glu Val Val Leu Glu Asn Val Thr Glu Asn Phe Asn Met Trp Lys 85 90 95 AAT AAC ATG GTG GAA CAG ATG CAT GAG GAT ATA ATC AGT TTA TGG GAT 336 Asn Asn Met Val Glu Gln Met His Glu Asp Ile Ile Ser Leu Trp Asp 100 105 110 CAA AGT CTA AAG CCA TGT GTA AAA TTA ACC CCA CTC TGT GTT ACT TTA 384 Gln Ser Leu Lys Pro Cys Val Lys Leu Thr Pro Leu Cys Val Thr Leu 115 120 125 AAT TGC ACT GAT GCG GGG AAT ACT ACT AAT ACC AAT AGT AGT AGC GGG 432 Asn Cys Thr Asp Ala Gly Asn Thr Thr Asn Thr Asn Ser Ser Ser Gly 130 135 140 GAA AAG CTG GAG AAA GGA GAA ATA AAA AAC TGC TCT TTC AAT ATC ACC 480 Glu Lys Leu Glu Lys Gly Glu Ile Lys Asn Cys Ser Phe Asn Ile Thr 145 150 155 160 ACA AGC ATG AGA GAT AAG ATG CAG AGA GAA ACT GCA CTT TTT AAT AAA 528 Thr Ser Met Arg Asp Lys Met Gln Arg Glu Thr Ala Leu Phe Asn Lys 165 170 175 CTT GAT ATA GTA CCA ATA GAT GAT GAT GAT AGG AAT AGT ACT AGG AAT 576 Leu Asp Ile Val Pro Ile Asp Asp Asp Asp Arg Asn Ser Thr Arg Asn 180 185 190 AGT ACT AAC TAT AGG TTG ATA AGT TGT AAC ACC TCA GTC ATT ACA CAG 624 Ser Thr Asn Tyr Arg Leu Ile Ser Cys Asn Thr Ser Val Ile Thr Gln 195 200 205 GCC TGT CCA AAG GTA TCA TTT GAG CCA ATT CCC ATA CAT TTC TGT ACC 672 Ala Cys Pro Lys Val Ser Phe Glu Pro Ile Pro Ile His Phe Cys Thr 210 215 220 CCG GCT GGT TTT GCG CTT CTA AAG TGT AAT AAT GAG ACG TTC AAT GGA 720 Pro Ala Gly Phe Ala Leu Leu Lys Cys Asn Asn Glu Thr Phe Asn Gly 225 230 235 240 TCA GGA CCA TGC AAA AAT GTC AGC ACA GTA CTA TGT ACA CAT GGA ATT 768 Ser Gly Pro Cys Lys Asn Val Ser Thr Val Leu Cys Thr His Gly Ile 245 250 255 AGG CCA GTA GTA TCA ACT CAA CTG CTG TTA AAT GGC AGT CTA GCA GGA 816 Arg Pro Val Val Ser Thr Gln Leu Leu Leu Asn Gly Ser Leu Ala Gly 260 265 270 GAA GAG GTA GTA ATT AGA TCT GAA AAT TTC ACG AAC AAT GCT AAA ACC 864 Glu Glu Val Val Ile Arg Ser Glu Asn Phe Thr Asn Asn Ala Lys Thr 275 280 285 ATA ATA GTA CAG CTC AAA GAA CCA GTA AAA ATT AAT TGT ACA AGA CCC 912 Ile Ile Val Gln Leu Lys Glu Pro Val Lys Ile Asn Cys Thr Arg Pro 290 295 300 AAC AAC AAT ACA AGA AAA AGT ATA CCT ATA GGA CCA GGG AGA GCA TTT 960 Asn Asn Asn Thr Arg Lys Ser Ile Pro Ile Gly Pro Gly Arg Ala Phe 305 310 315 320 TAT GCA ACA GGC GAC ATA ATA GGA AAT ATA AGA CAA GCA CAT TGT AAC 1008 Tyr Ala Thr Gly Asp Ile Ile Gly Asn Ile Arg Gln Ala His Cys Asn 325 330 335 CTT AGT AGA ACA GAC TGG AAT AAC ACT TTA AGA CAG ATA GCT GAA AAA 1056 Leu Ser Arg Thr Asp Trp Asn Asn Thr Leu Arg Gln Ile Ala Glu Lys 340 345 350 TTA AGA AAA CAA TTT GGG AAT AAA ACA ATA ATC TTT AAT CAC TCC TCA 1104 Leu Arg Lys Gln Phe Gly Asn Lys Thr Ile Ile Phe Asn His Ser Ser 355 360 365 GGA GGG GAC CCA GAA ATT GTA ATG CAC AGT TTT AAT TGT AGA GGG GAA 1152 Gly Gly Asp Pro Glu Ile Val Met His Ser Phe Asn Cys Arg Gly Glu 370 375 380 TTT TTC TAC TGT GAT ACA ACA CAA TTG TTT AAC AGT ACT TGG AAT GCA 1200 Phe Phe Tyr Cys Asp Thr Thr Gln Leu Phe Asn Ser Thr Trp Asn Ala 385 390 395 400 AAT AAC ACT GAA AGG AAT AGC ACT AAA GAG AAT AGC ACA ATC ACA CTC 1248 Asn Asn Thr Glu Arg Asn Ser Thr Lys Glu Asn Ser Thr Ile Thr Leu 405 410 415 CCA TGC AGA ATA AAA CAA ATT GTA AAC ATG TGG CAG GAA GTA GGA AAA 1296 Pro Cys Arg Ile Lys Gln Ile Val Asn Met Trp Gln Glu Val Gly Lys 420 425 430 GCA ATG TAT GCC CCT CCC ATC AGA GGA CAA ATT AGA TGT TCA TCA AAT 1344 Ala Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Arg Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys Ser Ser Asn 435 440 445 ATT ACA GGG TTG CTA TTA ACA AGA GAT GGA GGT AGT AGC AAC AGC ATG 1392 Ile Thr Gly Leu Leu Leu Thr Arg Asp Gly Gly Ser Ser Asn Ser Met 450 455 460 AAT GAG ACC TTC AGA CCT GGA GGA GGA GAT ATG AGG GAC AAT TGG AGA 1440 Asn Glu Thr Phe Arg Pro Gly Gly Gly Asp Met Arg Asp Asn Trp Arg 465 470 475 480 AGT GAA TTA TAC AAA TAT AAA GTA GTA AAA ATT GAA CCA TTA GGA GTA 1488 Ser Glu Leu Tyr Lys Tyr Lys Val Val Lys Ile Glu Pro Leu Gly Val 485 490 495 GCA CCC ACC AAG GCA ATG AGA AGA GTG GTG CAG AGA GAA AAA AGA GCA 1536 Ala Pro Thr Lys Ala Met Arg Arg Val Val Gln Arg Glu Lys Arg Ala 500 505 510 GTG GGA ATA GGA GCT GTG TTC CTT GGG TTC TTA GGA GCA GCA GGA AGC 1584 Val Gly Ile Gly Ala Val Phe Leu Gly Phe Leu Gly Ala Ala Gly Ser 515 520 525 ACT ATG GGC GCA GCG TCA ATA ACG CTG ACG GTA CAG GCC AGA CTA TTA 1632 Thr Met Gly Ala Ala Ser Ile Thr Leu Thr Val Gln Ala Arg Leu Leu 530 535 540 TTG TCT GGT ATA GTG CAA CAG CAG AAC AAT TTG CTG AGG GCT ATT GAG 1680 Leu Ser Gly Ile Val Gln Gln Gln Asn Asn Leu Leu Arg Ala Ile Glu 545 550 555 560 GCG CAA CAG CAT CTG TTG CAA CTC ACA GTC TGG GGC ATC AAG CAG CTC 1728 Ala Gln Gln His Leu Leu Gln Leu Thr Val Trp Gly Ile Lys Gln Leu 565 570 575 CAG GCA AGA GTC CTG GCT GTG GAA AGA TAC CTA AGG GAT CAA CAG CTC 1776 Gln Ala Arg Val Leu Ala Val Glu Arg Tyr Leu Arg Asp Gln Gln Leu 580 585 590 CTG GGG ATT TGG GGT TGC TCT GGA AAA CTC ATT TGC ACC ACC TCT GTG 1824 Leu Gly Ile Trp Gly Cys Ser Gly Lys Leu Ile Cys Thr Thr Ser Val 595 600 605 CCT TGG AAT GCT AGT TGG AGT AAT AAA TCT CTA GAT AAG ATT TGG GAT 1872 Pro Trp Asn Ala Ser Trp Ser Asn Lys Ser Leu Asp Lys Ile Trp Asp 610 615 620 AAC ATG ACC TGG ATG GAG TGG GAA AGA GAA ATT GAG AAT TAC ACA AGC 1920 Asn Met Thr Trp Met Glu Trp Glu Arg Glu Ile Glu Asn Tyr Thr Ser 625 630 635 640 TTA ATA TAC ACC TTA ATT GAA GAA TCG CAG AAC CAA CAA GAA AAG AAT 1968 Leu Ile Tyr Thr Leu Ile Glu Glu Ser Gln Asn Gln Gln Glu Lys Asn 645 650 655 AAA CAA GAC TTA TTG GAA TTG GAT CAA TAG GCA AGT TTG TGG AAT TGG 2016 Lys Gln Asp Leu Leu Glu Leu Asp Gln * Ala Ser Leu Trp Asn Trp 660 665 670 TTT AGC ATA ACA AAA TGG CTG TGG TAT ATA AAA ATA TTC ATA ATG ATA 2064 Phe Ser Ile Thr Lys Trp Leu Trp Tyr Ile Lys Ile Phe Ile Met Ile 675 680 685 GTT GGA GGC TTG GTA GGT TTA AGA ATA GTT TTT GCT GTA CTT TCT ATA 2112 Val Gly Gly Leu Val Gly Leu Arg Ile Val Phe Ala Val Leu Ser Ile 690 695 700 GTG AAT AGA GTT AGG CAG GGG TAC TCA CCA TTA TCA TTT CAG ACC CGC 2160 Val Asn Arg Val Arg Gln Gly Tyr Ser Pro Leu Ser Phe Gln Thr Arg 705 710 715 720 CTC CCA GCC CCG AGG GGA CCC GAC AGG CCC AAA GGA ATC GAA GAA GAA 2208 Leu Pro Ala Pro Arg Gly Pro Asp Arg Pro Lys Gly Ile Glu Glu Glu 725 730 735 GGT GGA GAG CAA GAC AGG GAC AGA TCC ATT CGC TTA GTG GAT GGA TTC 2256 Gly Gly Glu Gln Asp Arg Asp Arg Ser Ile Arg Leu Val Asp Gly Phe 740 745 750 TTA GCA CTT ATC TGG GAC GAT CTA CGG AGC CTG TGC CTC TTC AGC TAC 2304 Leu Ala Leu Ile Trp Asp Asp Leu Arg Ser Leu Cys Leu Phe Ser Tyr 755 760 765 CAC CGC TTG AGA GAC TTA CTC TTG ATT GCA ACG AGG ATT GTG GAA CTT 2352 His Arg Leu Arg Asp Leu Leu Leu Ile Ala Thr Arg Ile Val Glu Leu 770 775 780 CTG GGA CGC AGG GGG TGG GAA GCC CTC AAA TAT TGG TGG AAT CTC CTA 2400 Leu Gly Arg Arg Gly Trp Glu Ala Leu Lys Tyr Trp Trp Asn Leu Leu 785 790 795 800 CAG TAT TGG ATT CAG GAA CTA AAG AAT AGT GCT GTT AGC TTG CTT AAT 2448 Gln Tyr Trp Ile Gln Glu Leu Lys Asn Ser Ala Val Ser Leu Leu Asn 805 810 815 GTC ACA GCC ATA GCA GTA GCT GAG GGG ACA GAT AGG GTT CTA GAA GCA 2496 Val Thr Ala Ile Ala Val Ala Glu Gly Thr Asp Arg Val Leu Glu Ala 820 825 830 TTG CAA AGA GCT TAT AGA GCT ATT CTC CAC ATA CCT ACA AGA ATA AGA 2544 Leu Gln Arg Ala Tyr Arg Ala Ile Leu His Ile Pro Thr Arg Ile Arg 835 840 845 CAA GGC TTG GAA AGG GCT TTG CTA TA 2570 Gln Gly Leu Glu Arg Ala Leu Leu 850 855 665 amino acids amino acid single linear 32 Met Arg Val Lys Arg Ile Arg Arg Asn Tyr Gln His Leu Trp Lys Trp 1 5 10 15 Gly Thr Met Leu Leu Gly Met Leu Met Ile Cys Ser Ala Ala Gly Lys 20 25 30 Leu Trp Val Thr Val Tyr Tyr Gly Val Pro Val Trp Lys Glu Thr Thr 35 40 45 Thr Thr Leu Phe Cys Ala Ser Asp Ala Lys Ala Tyr Asp Thr Glu Ile 50 55 60 His Asn Val Trp Ala Thr His Ala Cys Val Pro Thr Asp Pro Asn Pro 65 70 75 80 Gln Glu Val Val Leu Glu Asn Val Thr Glu Asn Phe Asn Met Trp Lys 85 90 95 Asn Asn Met Val Glu Gln Met His Glu Asp Ile Ile Ser Leu Trp Asp 100 105 110 Gln Ser Leu Lys Pro Cys Val Lys Leu Thr Pro Leu Cys Val Thr Leu 115 120 125 Asn Cys Thr Asp Ala Gly Asn Thr Thr Asn Thr Asn Ser Ser Ser Gly 130 135 140 Glu Lys Leu Glu Lys Gly Glu Ile Lys Asn Cys Ser Phe Asn Ile Thr 145 150 155 160 Thr Ser Met Arg Asp Lys Met Gln Arg Glu Thr Ala Leu Phe Asn Lys 165 170 175 Leu Asp Ile Val Pro Ile Asp Asp Asp Asp Arg Asn Ser Thr Arg Asn 180 185 190 Ser Thr Asn Tyr Arg Leu Ile Ser Cys Asn Thr Ser Val Ile Thr Gln 195 200 205 Ala Cys Pro Lys Val Ser Phe Glu Pro Ile Pro Ile His Phe Cys Thr 210 215 220 Pro Ala Gly Phe Ala Leu Leu Lys Cys Asn Asn Glu Thr Phe Asn Gly 225 230 235 240 Ser Gly Pro Cys Lys Asn Val Ser Thr Val Leu Cys Thr His Gly Ile 245 250 255 Arg Pro Val Val Ser Thr Gln Leu Leu Leu Asn Gly Ser Leu Ala Gly 260 265 270 Glu Glu Val Val Ile Arg Ser Glu Asn Phe Thr Asn Asn Ala Lys Thr 275 280 285 Ile Ile Val Gln Leu Lys Glu Pro Val Lys Ile Asn Cys Thr Arg Pro 290 295 300 Asn Asn Asn Thr Arg Lys Ser Ile Pro Ile Gly Pro Gly Arg Ala Phe 305 310 315 320 Tyr Ala Thr Gly Asp Ile Ile Gly Asn Ile Arg Gln Ala His Cys Asn 325 330 335 Leu Ser Arg Thr Asp Trp Asn Asn Thr Leu Arg Gln Ile Ala Glu Lys 340 345 350 Leu Arg Lys Gln Phe Gly Asn Lys Thr Ile Ile Phe Asn His Ser Ser 355 360 365 Gly Gly Asp Pro Glu Ile Val Met His Ser Phe Asn Cys Arg Gly Glu 370 375 380 Phe Phe Tyr Cys Asp Thr Thr Gln Leu Phe Asn Ser Thr Trp Asn Ala 385 390 395 400 Asn Asn Thr Glu Arg Asn Ser Thr Lys Glu Asn Ser Thr Ile Thr Leu 405 410 415 Pro Cys Arg Ile Lys Gln Ile Val Asn Met Trp Gln Glu Val Gly Lys 420 425 430 Ala Met Tyr Ala Pro Pro Ile Arg Gly Gln Ile Arg Cys Ser Ser Asn 435 440 445 Ile Thr Gly Leu Leu Leu Thr Arg Asp Gly Gly Ser Ser Asn Ser Met 450 455 460 Asn Glu Thr Phe Arg Pro Gly Gly Gly Asp Met Arg Asp Asn Trp Arg 465 470 475 480 Ser Glu Leu Tyr Lys Tyr Lys Val Val Lys Ile Glu Pro Leu Gly Val 485 490 495 Ala Pro Thr Lys Ala Met Arg Arg Val Val Gln Arg Glu Lys Arg Ala 500 505 510 Val Gly Ile Gly Ala Val Phe Leu Gly Phe Leu Gly Ala Ala Gly Ser 515 520 525 Thr Met Gly Ala Ala Ser Ile Thr Leu Thr Val Gln Ala Arg Leu Leu 530 535 540 Leu Ser Gly Ile Val Gln Gln Gln Asn Asn Leu Leu Arg Ala Ile Glu 545 550 555 560 Ala Gln Gln His Leu Leu Gln Leu Thr Val Trp Gly Ile Lys Gln Leu 565 570 575 Gln Ala Arg Val Leu Ala Val Glu Arg Tyr Leu Arg Asp Gln Gln Leu 580 585 590 Leu Gly Ile Trp Gly Cys Ser Gly Lys Leu Ile Cys Thr Thr Ser Val 595 600 605 Pro Trp Asn Ala Ser Trp Ser Asn Lys Ser Leu Asp Lys Ile Trp Asp 610 615 620 Asn Met Thr Trp Met Glu Trp Glu Arg Glu Ile Glu Asn Tyr Thr Ser 625 630 635 640 Leu Ile Tyr Thr Leu Ile Glu Glu Ser Gln Asn Gln Gln Glu Lys Asn 645 650 655 Lys Gln Asp Leu Leu Glu Leu Asp Gln 660 665 190 amino acids amino acid single linear 33 Ala Ser Leu Trp Asn Trp Phe Ser Ile Thr Lys Trp Leu Trp Tyr Ile 1 5 10 15 Lys Ile Phe Ile Met Ile Val Gly Gly Leu Val Gly Leu Arg Ile Val 20 25 30 Phe Ala Val Leu Ser Ile Val Asn Arg Val Arg Gln Gly Tyr Ser Pro 35 40 45 Leu Ser Phe Gln Thr Arg Leu Pro Ala Pro Arg Gly Pro Asp Arg Pro 50 55 60 Lys Gly Ile Glu Glu Glu Gly Gly Glu Gln Asp Arg Asp Arg Ser Ile 65 70 75 80 Arg Leu Val Asp Gly Phe Leu Ala Leu Ile Trp Asp Asp Leu Arg Ser 85 90 95 Leu Cys Leu Phe Ser Tyr His Arg Leu Arg Asp Leu Leu Leu Ile Ala 100 105 110 Thr Arg Ile Val Glu Leu Leu Gly Arg Arg Gly Trp Glu Ala Leu Lys 115 120 125 Tyr Trp Trp Asn Leu Leu Gln Tyr Trp Ile Gln Glu Leu Lys Asn Ser 130 135 140 Ala Val Ser Leu Leu Asn Val Thr Ala Ile Ala Val Ala Glu Gly Thr 145 150 155 160 Asp Arg Val Leu Glu Ala Leu Gln Arg Ala Tyr Arg Ala Ile Leu His 165 170 175 Ile Pro Thr Arg Ile Arg Gln Gly Leu Glu Arg Ala Leu Leu 180 185 190 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for making an HIV gp120 subunit vaccine for a geographic region comprising the steps of: a. determining a neutralizing epitope in the V2 or C4 domain of gp120 of HIV isolates from the geographic region; b. selecting an HIV strain having gp120 which has a neutralizing epitope in the V2 or C4 domain which is common among isolates in the geographic region; and c. making an HIV gp120 subunit vaccine from the selected isolate.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the neutralizing epitope is determined by determining the amino acid sequence for at least a portion of the V2 or C4 domain.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the amino acid sequence is determined by sequencing DNA encoding at least a portion of the V2 or C4 domain.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein a plurality of isolates having different amino acid sequences for the V2 and C4 domains are selected.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein a plurality of isolates having different amino acid sequences for the V3 domain is selected.
 6. A method for making an HIV gp120 subunit vaccine for a geographic region comprising the steps of: a. determining neutralizing epitopes for the V2, V3, and C4 domains of gp120 from HIV isolates from the geographic region; b. selecting at least two HIV isolates having different neutralizing epitopes in the V2, V3, or C4 domain; and c. making an HIV gp120 subunit vaccine from the selected isolates.
 7. The method of claim 6 wherein each of the selected isolates have one of the most common neutralizing epitopes.
 8. A method for making an HIV gp120 subunit vaccine for a geographic region comprising the steps of: a. determining the neutralizing epitopes for HIV isolates and the percentage of HIV infections attributable to each strain present in the region; b. selecting at least two HIV strains which have the most common neutralizing epitopes in the V2, V3, and C4 domains in the geographic region; and c. making an HIV gp120 subunit vaccine from the selected isolates.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the isolates are primary patient isolates.
 10. The method of claim 8 wherein the geographic region is North America and the amino acid sequence of gp120 from the HIV isolates MN and GNE₈ are selected.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the GNE₁₆ isolate is also selected.
 12. A multivalent HIV gp120 subunit vaccine.
 13. The vaccine of claim 12 wherein gp120 present in the vaccine is from at least two HIV isolates which have a different neutralizing epitope in the V2 or C4 domain of gp120.
 14. The vaccine of claim 12 wherein gp120 present in the vaccine is from at least two HIV isolates which have a different neutralizing epitope in the V3 domain of gp120.
 15. The vaccine of claim 12 wherein each isolate has a different common neutralizing epitope for the V2 or C4 domains of gp120.
 16. The vaccine of claim 1 wherein gp120 present in the vaccine is from the MN and GNE₈ strains of HIV.
 17. The vaccine of claim 1 wherein gp120 from the GNE₁₆ strain of HIV is also present in the vaccine.
 18. A DNA sequence of less than 5 kilobases encoding gp120 from GNE₈ and having the nucleotide sequence illustrated in Table
 1. 19. A DNA sequence of less than 5 kilobases encoding gp120 from GNE₁₆ and having the nucleotide sequence illustrated in Table
 2. 20. An expression construct comprising DNA encoding gp120 selected from the group consisting of GNE₈-gp120 and GNE₁₆-gp120 under the transcriptional and translational control of a heterologous promoter.
 21. The expression construct of claim 20 wherein the promoter is a eukaryotic promoter.
 22. The expression construct of claim 21 wherein the DNA encoding gp120 is joined to a heterologous signal sequence.
 23. An isolated GNE₈-gp120 polypeptide having the amino acid sequence illustrated in Table
 1. 24. An isolated GNE₁₆-gp120 polypeptide having the amino acid sequence illustrated in Table
 2. 25. An improved serotyping method for HIV strains comprising determining the serotypes of the V2, V3, and C4 domains of gp120.
 26. A truncated gp120 sequence which sequence is free from the C5 domain.
 27. The truncated gp120 sequence of claim 26 wherein the sequence is additionally free from the carboxy terminus through amino acid residue 453 of the gp120 V5 domain.
 28. The truncated gp120 sequence of claim 27 wherein the sequence is additionally free from the gp120 V5 domain.
 29. The truncated gp120 sequence of claim 26 wherein the sequence is additionally free from the gp120 signal sequence.
 30. The truncated gp120 sequence of claim 29 wherein the sequence is additionally free from the carboxy terminus through amino acid residue 111 of the gp120 C1 domain.
 31. The truncated gp120 sequence of claim 29 wherein the sequence is additionally free from the carboxy terminus through amino acid residue 117 of the gp120 C1 domain.
 32. The truncated gp120 sequence of claim 26 wherein the sequence is free from the amino terminus of gp120 through residue 111 of the C1 domain and residue 453 through the carboxy terminus of gp120.
 33. The truncated gp120 sequence of claim 26 wherein the sequence is produced by recombinant engineering. 